Desperate search for family missing on dive trip off SA coast
A massive search is underway for a South Australian family who failed to return from a diving trip in the state’s southeast.
Cattle farmers Len and Annette Vanderpeer and their adult son Doug set off on the trip on Monday afternoon but there has been no sign of them or their vessel since.
The family launched their six-metre boat from Cape Jaffa on Monday afternoon with their vehicle still sitting in the carpark.
“We’re still treating this as a search and rescue operation – we’ve obviously got serious concerns but our intention to is to continue with that in mind,” Senior Sergeant Peter Brown said.
Len’s brother Angus raised the alarm on Tuesday morning.
Local fishermen joined police, the State Emergency Service and Fisheries, checking popular dive spots and trawling the coastline.
“Hopefully if the boat broke down they might have drifted into shore somewhere, that’s all we can hope for, I think,” local Peter Clarke said.
“We don’t like seeing people going missing like that and in this area we’ve lost a few people over the years.”
It is understood the family were experienced divers and Monday night's condition was calm.
But with every passing hour hopes were fading.
“We’ve been in close contact with the family all day and, as you can imagine, they’re very distressed and very concerned,” Senior Sergeant Brown said.
