Police search for missing teenage girl, 16, after boarding Brisbane to Gold Coast train
Police are appealing to the public for assistance to locate a missing 16-year-old girl who boarded a train from Brisbane to the Gold Coast on Thursday and hasn’t been in contact since.
Police & Courts
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POLICE are searching for a missing 16 year-old girl who boarded a Gold Coast-bound train from Brisbane on Thursday night and hasn’t contacted friends or family since.
The teenager was last seen boarding a train in Brisbane City.
Police said the girl’s family hold concerns for her safety, as “she suffers from a medical condition and her behaviour is out of character.”
She is described as Aboriginal, approximately 155cm tall with a proportionate build, black hair and brown eyes, and is known to frequent the Gold Coast and Ipswich areas.
Police urge anyone who may know her whereabouts, to come forward.
Good Samaritan Dr Luqman Jubair praised for bravery after tragic drowning death
A GOLD Coast doctor who tragically drowned while trying to save a fisherman off a popular beach has been praised for his bravery.
Southport man Dr Luqman Jubair, 35, will be laid to rest today, a week after he disappeared off Miami Beach last Thursday.
Dr Jubair rushed into the water on Thursday night to help save a man swept into the water. His body was found last Friday after an extensive land, air and sea search.
Now Health Minister Yvette D’Ath has publically praised Dr Jubair for his “bravery” and “dedication”.
Dr Jubair had been part of a Griffith University research team that in 2019 made a world-first break breakthrough to treat cervical cancer in mice using ‘stealth’ nanoparticles.
He was previously a research assistant at Gold Coast University Hospital.
Ms D’Ath told Parliament: “Dr Jubair’s bravery in this emergency is reflective of his compassion in his work as a medical researcher and doctor. He dedicated his life to helping others.
“Dr Jubair was originally from Iraq.
“Upon arriving to Australia he requalified as a Doctor and served our community through his profession. Dr Jubair has worked in the COVID-19 wards in West Moreton and the GCUH.
“Dr Jubair was committed to serving the community and travelled to both New South Wales and Victoria to assist in their COVID-response.
“I am told that at the time of his passing, Dr Jubair was finalising his training in oncology.
“Today is Dr Jubair’s funeral. I am sure I speak for everyone in the House when I say I extend our sympathies and condolences to his loved ones.”
FEB 18, 2022:
A good Samaritan who ventured into the ocean to help a man swept into the water was seen “unconscious and face down” before he vanished.
The desperate search for the Southport man, 35, who went missing off Miami Beach early on Thursday night continues on Friday, but authorities are losing hope he will be found alive.
Chief Superintendent Rhys Wildman said at about 6pm a male fisherman, who was waist deep in water, observed another male in some difficulty, he dropped his equipment and waved to the shore for assistance.
“A number of persons on the shore entered the water to provide assistance to what they thought was a fisherman in trouble but was another male person who was in the water,” he said.
“One of those people (who entered the water) was a 35-year-old male who is now our missing person.”
Gold Coast City Council chief lifeguard Chris Maynard said he was washed out to sea, despite people trying to stage a rescue.
“The male was unconscious and face down when last seen. It’s confirmed basically he’s missing in the ocean,” Mr Maynard said.
He said the ocean appeared relatively calm at the time, however, conditions could be unpredictable and the man may have suffered a medical episode, or be a poor swimmer.
“The conditions are always pretty unstable. But we don’t know the circumstances of him becoming unconscious and missing. We just don’t know,” he said.
“It was probably the best day we’ve had all summer, weatherwise.
“(But) conditions where he went swimming weren’t ideal. There was a rip on the outgoing tide.”
Mr Maynard said the fisherman seemingly left the area soon after he was out of the water following the “tragic” incident.
“The fisherman himself got back to shore and left the area pretty quickly. He may have been stressed, I’m not quite sure,” he said.
“There was a fair bit going on when we got there. A lot of people on the beach and in the water. It was hard to work out what was actually happening at the time.”
Mr Maynard said the search involving multiple emergency services was ongoing midmorning Friday.
Gold Coast Water Police conducted “patrols of the shoreline overnight but a search will commence again this morning (Friday)”, a police spokeswoman stated.
“Police were called to Lifeguard Tower 22 near Marine Parade just after 6pm following reports of a man missing in the water after attempting to help a fisherman who had been knocked over by a wave,” the statement read.
“A number of members of the public went to the aid of the fisherman but the male rescuer failed to return to shore.
“A land, sea and air search was commenced shortly after to locate the man but was unsuccessful.
“A search has begun this morning involving police all-terrain vehicles patrolling the shoreline and water police vessels searching the sea.”
Lifeguards arrived at Miami Beach shortly after the man went missing on Thursday night, alongside Queensland Ambulance paramedics.
The Queensland Police Polair helicopter was sent up at 6.45pm to cover a wider area.
Initially, authorities advised the missing man was the fisherman, rather than his rescuer.
Police searching for missing Elanora man
February 8: Police are appealing for public assistance to help locate a missing Gold Coast man.
Shannon Waluga, 42, was last seen at 8:30am on Monday at an Elanora address.
Police and family hold concerns for his safety, as his disappearance is considered out of character and he suffers from a medical condition.
It’s believed Mr Waluga may be travelling in a white 2021 Hyundai iLoad with QLD registration 656BU2.
Police understand the vehicle was last seen travelling northbound past Narangba on Monday morning.
He is described as caucasian, around 175cm tall with a medium complexion and brown coloured short hair.
Police urge Mr Waluga, or anyone who may know his whereabouts, to come forward.
Police track down missing Reedy Creek woman
February 3: Police have confirmed a senior citizen reported missing from Reedy Creek has been found.
Christine Lewis, 76, has been located “safe and well”, Queensland Police stated.
Police appeal for help to find missing Reedy Creek woman
Earlier: Police have appealed to the public for help to find a 76-year-old woman reported missing from Reedy Creek.
It comes after officers located Deborah Van Leeuwen, 55, safe and well, after she went missing from Surfers Paradise on Wednesday afternoon.
On Thursday morning, Queenland Police officers were “seeking public assistance” to find Christine Lewis, who was last seen at a Tuckeroo Place, Reedy Creek home on Wednesday.
“Police and family hold concern for Christine’s safety and wellbeing as her disappearance is considered out of character and she may appear confused and disorientated,” police stated.
The senior citizen was described as 165 centimetres tall, with a slim build, short grey hair and blues eyes and of caucasian appearance.
Police believe she was wearing white and red pyjamas when she went missing.
“Police are appealing to Christine, or anyone who knows her whereabouts, to come forward,” the statement read.
Know more? Phone Policelink on 131 444.
Police search for missing Surfers Paradise woman
February 2: Police are searching for a woman who went missing from Surfers Paradise Wednesday afternoon and are urging anyone with information to come forward.
Police said 55-year-old Deborah Van Leeuwen left a Salerno St address about 2.30pm Wednesday on foot and was wearing a black knee-length dress, with a Pink blouse.
She is described as caucasian in appearance, 150cm in height with a solid build, shoulder length brown straight hair and brown eyes.
She is known to walk along the canals near Elliot St, Surfers Paradise.
Police urged residents to check their backyards, garages, open carports and sheds in case she had sought shelter from the rain.
Police and family have concerns for her welfare as she has a medical condition and may be confused.
Police are urging Deborah, or anyone else with information on her whereabouts, to contact them.
Know more? Phone Policelink on 131 444.
Police charge man with arson after ‘stolen’ car crash with tow-truck
February 1: A man has been charged after allegedly setting fire to a stolen ute following a bizarre crash with a tow-truck on the Gold Coast.
Police allege a man poured an accelerant over the exterior and interior of a stolen Nissan Navara parked at Kelsie Circuit, Nerang, and placed a Molotov cocktail in the back driver’s seat pocket on January 29.
Police were notified and attended the scene before organising a tow-truck to retrieve the stolen vehicle.
The man allegedly followed the tow-truck along Southport Nerang Road in a stolen black Toyota HiLux before rear-ending it at the intersection with Industrial Ave.
“The impact caused accelerants inside the HiLux, believed to be intended for the Navara, to ignite and fire erupt in ute’s interior,” police said in a statement.
Police allege the man exited the burning HiLux, grabbed “something from the passenger side” and fled.
Police attended the scene and a lit blowtorch was located on the road.
A 39-year-old Southport man was arrested at Elanora on Monday suffering badly burnt hands.
He has been charged with two counts of stealing and one count each of unlawful use of a motor vehicle, arson and receiving tainted property.
He was due to appear at the Southport Magistrate’s Court on today.
Manhunt after stolen car crash
January 31: Police are still on the hunt for the brazen culprit who rammed a stolen four-wheel drive into a tow truck hauling another stolen car recovered from Nerang on Saturday.
The black 4WD was reportedly set alight with a blowtorch by its driver after the vehicle was driven into the truck at Molendinar about 2.30pm.
It has emerged the silver 4WD on the tow truck and the 4WD driven into the truck had been stolen from Coast addresses back in July last year, a Queensland Police spokesman said.
He said someone had seemingly “taken offence” to police towing the recovered vehicle.
Emergency services rushed to Southport Nerang Rd after it was reported a car was on fire.
The truck was rammed from behind by the 4WD, which appears to have been followed the truck from the Nerang area, before the fire was ignited.
It’s understood the truck driver has suffered back pain after the unexpected crash.
The vehicle on the truck was not damaged, according to police.
No one was in the four-wheel drive when it caught fire, a Queensland Fire and Emergency Services spokeswoman said.
Police had not made any arrests come Monday morning.
Meanwhile, there has been a stolen vehicle crash and a second alleged stolen car crash on the Coast between Sunday night and Monday morning.
Police were called after a car rolled on its side off Tomewin Currumbin Creek Rd, Currumbin Valley just before 7pm on Sunday, a spokesman stated.
“Upon arriving at the scene, officers found no one inside the car or anyone needing medical attention,” he said.
“Further investigations revealed that the vehicle had been stolen from a Elanora address earlier that day. The vehicle’s owner has since been notified and the vehicle has been recovered.”
No one had been arrested or charged by Monday morning.
Additionally, police stated officers were called after a car “struck and become stuck between two roadside barriers on the Pacific Motorway (M1) at Burleigh Heads just after 3am this morning”.
“Upon arriving at the scene, police observed a 16-year-old boy, believed to be the driver, inside the car,” the statement read.
“Police, with the help of additional emergency services, were able to free the boy without injury.”
Police alleged the car was stolen from a Mermaid Waters address on Sunday.
“The boy is assisting police with their inquiries,” police stated.
Investigations were ongoing.
Anyone with information or dashcam footage relating to these incidents should phone Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Stolen vehicle torched, suspect flees in daylight ‘ambush’
January 29: A suspect is on the run after setting fire to a stolen vehicle that moments earlier rammed a tow truck in bizarre scenes along a major Gold Coast road.
Emergency services were called to Southport Nerang Rd, Molendinar about 2.30pm Saturday in response to a single vehicle on fire.
Queensland Police spokesman told the Bulletin the incident unfolded after a tow truck carrying a second stolen vehicle was rammed from behind by a stolen 4WD.
An occupant exited the 4WD before reportedly using a blow torch to set it alight.
Police confirmed the vehicle being carried by the tow truck was not damaged.
A Queensland Fire and Emergency Services spokeswoman said nobody was inside the vehicle when it caught fire. Fire crews departed the scene about 3.15pm.
No injuries were reported.
Police are investigating.
Vehicles destroyed in suspicious fire near popular park
January 27: Police are investigating after three parked vehicles caught fire in suspicious circumstances earlier this morning, leaving two of them badly damaged.
It was about 4.40am on Thursday when emergency crews raced to the scene of a multi-vehicle fire at the Pirate Park carpark off Gold Coast Highway in Palm Beach.
A Queensland Police spokeswoman said two vehicles – a 2002 Honda CRV SUV and a grey Mazda 6 station wagon – were “fully involved” when officers arrived on-scene minutes later.
A 2018 white Toyta HiLux also sustained some damage.
It took Queensland Fire and Emergency Services about 30 minutes to extinguish the blaze.
Early reports suggest the Honda CRV was broken into and a fire purposely lit inside the boot of the vehicle just after 4.30am.
Police believe the fire quickly spread to the other vehicles it was parked between.
No charges have been laid or arrests made.
Anyone with information or CCTV is urged to contact Crimestoppers on 1800 333 000.
‘Unprovoked’: Woman suffers facial injuries in Oz Day attack
January 27: Police are on the hunt for an offender after a woman suffered facial injuries in an “unprovoked” attack at Surfers Paradise on Australia Day.
Officers have also charged a Victorian man, 31, with assault occasioning bodily harm over an alleged unrelated attack on an overseas visitor in the party precinct later that night.
Queensland Police confirmed a woman aged in her 30s was taken to Gold Coast University Hospital in a stable condition with injuries to her face after the assault on the corner of Elkhorn Ave and Surfers Paradise Rd at 9.41pm on Wednesday.
Police believe a “verbal altercation” took place before the woman in her 30s tried to end the argument and was struck without provocation, a spokeswoman said.
Officers were working to track down the woman responsible for the attack.
Little more than two hours after the woman was taken to hospital, police were called to an alleged assault at a location off The Esplanade.
Police believe a 31-year-old man from Traralgon in Victoria struck the overseas visitor who was not known to him following an argument between the pair about 11.55pm.
Queensland Ambulance Service stated two stable patients with undisclosed injuries were taken to Gold Coast University Hospital. It was not clear if one of the patients is the alleged attacker.
The Traralgon man was bailed to appear in Southport Magistrates Court on March 22.
Know more? Phone Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
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