Missing Canberra man found safe, 300km from scene of mysterious disappearance
A Canberra man who mysteriously vanished in country NSW on New Year’s Eve has been found safe almost 300 kilometres away.
Family and friends of Joel Koppie, 36, have been appealing for information for almost two months while police had expressed concerns for his safety after he went missing from Braidwood.
NSW Police confirmed on Monday Mr Koppie had been found at Potts Point in Sydney on February 23.
Where he has been until now remains unclear.
Joel Koppie had been playing with his band, the Sly Dog’s at Braidwood’s Royal Mail Hotel on New Year’s Eve but by the morning he was nowhere to be seen, the Canberra Times reported in January.
His father and bandmate Mick told the paper he last saw him in the early hours of January 1.
"We were staying upstairs, so we all said 'Happy New Year' and I went to bed thinking he wouldn't be far behind me," Mr Koppie said.
"But in the morning I couldn't find him anywhere."
CCTV shed little light on his movements while staff claimed to have seen Joel Koppie sitting along at around 3am – it was the last time he was seen until last Thursday.
Family members said Joel had gone missing once before but was found safely in his broken down car near a popular family holiday spot on NSW's south coast.
