Gympie Mary River search: Body of second missing woman found

A desperate search of the Mary River for a second woman missing after she and two others were washed out of a nearby stormwater drain they were exploring has ended in tragedy. NEW VIDEO, PHOTOS.

The search for a missing woman who was one of three caught up in floodwaters while exploring a drain at Gympie has ended after her body was found in the Mary River about midday Wednesday.

Police said in a statement on Wednesday the body of the 46-year-old Southside woman was found near the Gympie Weir.

The three women, all Gympie residents and understood to be avid hikers, were swept into the Mary River on Boxing Day while they were “exploring” the drains when a severe storm struck the region about 2.30pm.

Speaking to reporters in Gympie on Wednesday, Acting Superintendent Paul Algie said the women were an unknown distance up the drains at the time the storm hit.

They were “washed back through the drain, out to the Mary River” by the deluge, he said.

One of the women managed to reach the river’s banks and call for help.

Inspector Algie said the 46-year-old suffered “moderate injuries” and was expected to make a full recovery.

A rescue is under way for two people missing in the Mary River at Gympie on Boxing Day. Photo: Scott Kovacevic

The body of a second woman, aged 40, was found near the drain by swift water rescue crews about 7.10pm.

The search resumed about 6am Wednesday, with police, SES, divers, swift water crews, drones and even helicopters from Brisbane scouring the river before reaching its tragic conclusion about midday.

Fire, ambulance, police, SES and swift water rescue crews onsite. Photo: Scott Kovacevic

A report will now be prepared for the coroner.

Inspector Algie said a “large amount of water” had washed through the drains, known by locals as “the love tunnel” and running under the city from the river to near the Civic Centre.

Locals have been exploring them for decades and it is a well-known spot for residents.

Police closed access to the weir when the search started and crews, whose efforts were hampered by several storm cells throughout Tuesday afternoon, will be searching the drain throughout Wednesday, Inspector Algie said.

Police have also closed access to the river walk while the search is underway. Photo: Scott Kovacevic

Police have revealed new details about what led to three women being swept into the Mary River where one survived, another died and a third is still missing. Picture: Christine Schindler

Police have revealed new details about what led to three women being swept into the Mary River where one survived, another died and a third is still missing. Picture: Christine Schindler

Crews will be scouring the river downstream to Widgee Crossing, he said, about 5km away, and police were “nowhere near cancelling the search”.

Inspector Algie stressed the danger to the community of exploring in drains such as “the love tunnel”.

“Storm water drains are not for people to go exploring in,” he said.

“They are not for adventuring, and what’s occurred … is a tragic result of that adventuring”.

A QFES spokeswoman said the reports were a group of three had been swimming in the area, but only one had surfaced. Photo: Scott Kovacevic

The death of the 40-year-old woman was the second “tragic” loss of life on the Mary River this Christmas, Inspector Algie said, following the drowning of a 14-year-old boy who was water-tubing near Tiaro on Christmas Eve.

The severe storm which washed the women into the river unleashed chaos as it crossed the city in the early afternoon.

The cell developed northwest of the city shortly before 3pm and grew in intensity with recorded a 100km/h wind gust as it crossed the region in a south-easterly direction, leaving debris strewn in its wake.

Trees and debris were left scattered across Gympie after a severe storm crossed the region.

The most severe damage was suffered at a Fox St address about 100m from Gympie Central Shopping Centre, where a large tree was uprooted and crashed onto the roof of a nearby home.

No-one was home at the time.

The falling tree collected powerlines as it came crashing down, with emergency responders forced to shore up the veranda of the two-storey home before rushing off to other parts of the region.

Trees at Nelsons Reserve were uprooted too, while sheet metal from a roof was ripped off a nearby building and scattered across Reef St.