Krystal Cain listed missing person after Gympie flood, three week search

Local police leading the search west of Gympie for missing teen Krystal Cain have revealed new details about what happened that terrible night, and why the search has been so difficult. UPDATES HERE:

Police leading the search for missing teen Krystal Cain have revealed new details, including where they believe the 14-year-old Victorian girl will be found.

Goomeri police search co-ordinator Sgt Dave Gillies told The Gympie Times on Friday he believed Krystal, who went missing in flood waters west of Gympie three weeks ago, would be found under debris left in creeks as a result of the disaster.

“Most of the debris from the vehicle and stuff will have washed downstream, but unfortunately human bodies don’t do that, so she will … unfortunately be under a large amount of debris or silt in one of those creeks,” he said.

Krystal disappeared in raging flood waters at Booubyjan, near Gympie, during a car trip with her father, Lenny Cain, to visit her grandparents in Agnes Water, near Gladstone, on January 8.

A freak rain event caused by ex-tropical cyclone Seth caused unprecedented flash flooding across the western and northern communities of the Gympie region, including Goomeri, Kilkivan, Booubyjan, Woolooga, Curra and Glenwood.

Sgt Gillies said Mr Cain had driven into flood water on the Burnett Hwy early that morning, and within minutes the car was swept away with Mr Cain and Krystal inside.

The car came to rest between two trees near the intersection of Murgon Gayndah Rd and the Burnett Hwy, Sgt Gillies said, and the pair managed to escape the car and cling to a tree.

Lenny Cain's car was found in a mangled wreck during the search for his missing daughter, Krystal Cain.

That was around 2am on Saturday morning, but after clinging to the tree for seven hours, Mr Cain and Krystal were separated by raging waters at around 9am.

Mr Cain managed to grab hold of a tree on Booubyjan farmers Ken and Julie Thompson’s property, but Krystal was not so lucky.

“She was last seen crossing a farmer’s paddock in substantial flood water,” Sgt Gillies said.

The Thompson’s had reportedly witnessed Mr Cain’s car drive into flood waters, and several hours later had their worst fears confirmed when they heard his desperate screams for help.

He was winched to safety several hours later, but in a state of shock reportedly broke the devastating news to rescue crews.

Krystal Cain and her father, Lenny Cain. Photo: supplied.

“My daughter is gone.”

That was three weeks ago, but Sgt Gillies said he was not prepared to give up yet.

The search was officially scaled back on January 21, but police are determined to bring closure to Krystal’s devastated family.

Sgt Gillies said between 35 and 50 people per day had been involved in the search prior to it being scaled back, including police divers, swift water rescue, SES volunteers, Human Remains Detection Dogs, and rural fire service volunteers.

But now, Sgt Gillies said the number of people involved in the search would depend on local SES volunteers.

“It’ll be police at the request of local SES, it’ll be teams somewhere between four to six people,” he said.

“We still have some hope we will have some result at some stage.”

Krystal was officially listed as a missing person on January 26.

A GoFundMe started by aunt Aundreau Cain on January 8 has reached $10,015 at the time of publishing.

DONATE TO THE GOFUNDME HERE