Sad update for 'stubborn' fisherman missing off Aussie coast
The search for a fisherman missing off the Queensland coast since Sunday has been scaled back, with police and volunteers now focusing on foreshore patrols.
A boat belonging to the 43-year-old Glass Mountains man, now identified as Matthew Balange, was discovered abandoned about two nautical miles off Moreton Island, northeast of Brisbane, on Monday.
It's believed the missing fisherman had fallen overboard while trying to land a fish, 7News reported.
The man's boat was found with the engine still running, coast guards said.
Police and emergency services launched a wide-ranging surface and aerial search involving multiple aircraft and vessels.
With no trace found of the solo skipper, authorities said on Wednesday the operation would be scaled back, with crews focusing on the foreshore along Bribie Island and eastern Moreton Island.
Despite the sad news, the missing man's family is holding out hope their "stubborn" loved one will be found alive.
Mr Balange's younger brother, Dave, said the family was clinging to hope the keen angler would make it home to them, the ABC reported.
"We are not ready to miss him. We just want him back," he said in a statement on Tuesday. "His stubbornness that normally grates us is now the strength that could still bring him back."
Sunshine Coast Water Police have praised the efforts of everyone involved in the search and are appealing to the boating community to remain vigilant and report any sightings or information to police.
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