Police: Emergency search off Bargara, Qld, caused by ‘misinformation’

When a distress flare fired off near a beachside town overnight, a rescue helicopter and multiple police units were deployed to search for a possible sinking boat but all wasn’t as it seemed.

Police say a night-time distress flare which sparked a desperate coastal search with a rescue helicopter off the Bundaberg coast was based on “misinformation”.

Authorities received reports of a flare being let off amid a potential marine emergency offshore of Bargara about 8.30pm Friday.

A LifeFlight helicopter was called in to help search for the unidentified vessel.

Witnesses saw a helicopter searching the ocean directly opposite the Bargara Esplanade with searchlights trained on the ocean.

Police officers were seen on the beachfront opposite the Bargara Esplanade.

The helicopter returned to base shortly after 11pm.

On Saturday police said following their investigations “it was determined to be misinformation”.

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