Redbank Plains man, 49, found dead in Coral Sea, off Sunrise Beach, Noosa

Police have released new details after a commercial fishing boat made the grim discovery of a man’s body floating at a popular reef about 10km off Noosa on Easter Monday.

A man who was found floating at a popular fishing and diving reef off Noosa has been identified as a 49-year-old kayaker who left Caloundra when his boating adventure took a tragic turn.

Police confirmed the Redbank Plains man had left Caloundra to go kayaking and camping on April 16 – two days before his body was found in the Coral Sea, off Sunrise Beach, shortly before 1pm on April 18.

“His kayak has not been found,” a police spokeswoman said.

Fishing Offshore Noosa owner Jeff Phillips confirmed the skipper of Trekka 2 made the grim discovery about 2pm on Easter Monday.

Mr Phillips said those on board the commercial fishing boat thought they’d spotted the man in distress when they saw him floating on Sunshine Reef about 10km from the Noosa Bar.

“The skipper just found the body floating and they picked it up,” Mr Phillips said.

“When they brought it on board they realised the person was deceased.”

Noosa Coast Guard Commander Ian Hutchings said the fishing boat brought the man’s body back to the Coast Guard headquarters in Noosa where police were waiting.

Sunshine Reef is off Sunshine Beach, about 10km from the Noosa Bar. Picture: Lachie Millard

It was understood Water Police were not tasked and paramedics were not called to meet the fishing boat when it returned to the wharf.

Sunshine Reef is a popular diving and fishing site with depths of 25m-33m and a mixture of coral reef and sand patches just south of Noosa.

It’s renowned for its pelagic fishing in summer and is home to a wide variety of fish and other marine life including turtles, grass sweetlips, moray eels and sometimes barracuda.

Police said the sudden death was not treated as suspicious and they would prepare a report for the coroner.