Missing Persons Week: 1983 missing fishermen case one step closer to being solved

In 1983, two young men set off for a deep sea fishing trip off Newcastle and never returned. Now, more than 40 years later, police are one step closer to closing the case.

Missing Persons Registry Manager Detective Inspector Ritchie Sim (pictured) said detectives don’t give up when searching for missing people. Picture: Tim Hunter

A cold case disappearance of two sailors whose boat capsized off the NSW coast more than 40 years ago is one step closer to being solved after family member’s DNA was given to police.

Vietnamese nationals Trunh Ting Nguyen, 37, and a 27-year-old man who has not been publicly identified, disappeared after their boat capsized during a deep sea fishing trip off Swansea in 1983.

The two men, who were living in Sydney with their families at the time, had left Newcastle in the vessel Wyuna on Sunday, April 10, but their boat capsized that evening.

Newcastle Police immediately began an air and water search mission for the two missing boaties, but neither of them were ever found.

The men disappeared off Swansea in 1983. File image.

DNA from familial members of two men who disappeared while deep sea fishing more than 40 years ago has brought the case one step closer to being solved. Generic image.

The case was referred to the coroner but 40 years later, in 2023, a DNA sample from a 48-year-old woman has brought the case one step closer to being solved.

Police believe the woman, who requested to submit her DNA though the national DNA program, is the daughter of one of the missing men.

Now, in 2024, detectives believe they have found a likely family member of the other man, who has also given them a DNA sample.

Both Mr Nguyen and his shipmate have been added to the NSW Missing Persons Database, along with the DNA samples from their relatives, in the hopes of one day finding and identifying their remains.

It comes during 2024 Missing Person’s Week – an annual national campaign to raise awareness of the issues and impacts missing people have on their families and loved ones.

This year’s ‘Always searching’ campaign focuses on the continuing efforts of police to solve missing persons investigations.

Missing Persons Registry Manager Detective Inspector Ritchie Sim said detectives don’t give up when searching for missing people. 

“For us it doesn’t matter if a person went missing over 40 years ago or last week; they are still a person and deserve to be returned to their family,” he said.

Missing Persons Registry Manager Detective Inspector Ritchie Sim. Picture: Tim Hunter.

Det Insp Sim said the role of familial DNA in the case of the missing boaties “can’t be understated” and said DNA submitted for these types of investigations are not stored in any criminal or suspect database.

“Your DNA will only be used to hopefully solve these cases and provide answers to your family,” he said.

“Your relationship with the missing person can be several generations apart. 

“If you have reported a family member missing to police, and you have the Event number, I urge you to go to your local police station and provide your DNA if you haven’t done so already.”

He said those without an event reference number could still help by providing their DNA to commercial databases.

 “As long as you tick the option to release your DNA for law enforcement purposes, we can use your DNA and hopefully solve a mystery,” he said.

 “Your relative may have already been found, we just don’t know as yet, as we haven’t been able to identify them until now. This technology and capability now gives us the best opportunity yet, to achieve this.”

If you have been reported as missing it means that someone is concerned about your safety and welfare.

It is not a crime to go missing. You should attend the nearest police station with identification so that Police can ascertain that you are safe and well.