Aloomba search and rescue for man in water ends with dead body found

Search and rescue efforts for a Cairns man reported missing in a causeway ended with emergency crews locating his body after he had failed to resurface from water.

Emergency services were called to Moller Rd, Aloomba. File photo. PICTURE: GRACE MASON

Search and rescue efforts for a Queensland man reported missing in a causeway ended with emergency crews locating his body after he had failed to resurface from water.

A 33-year-old Cairns man has died at Aloomba, after emergency services received a call for help about 10.20am, Saturday – reporting a man had gone missing at a causeway along Moller Rd, south of Cairns.

A Queensland Fire Department spokeswoman said multiple crews including swift water rescue teams responded to the call from Queensland Police and the department’s log showed crews searched “along the banks and down stream” but could not confirm whether the “causeway” was linked to a creek or other water channels, such as drains in the sugar cane farming suburb.

Behanna Creek at Moller Rd, Aloomba.

QPS confirmed the man was found dead about 1.20pm and a report would be prepared for the coroner.
Division 1 councillor Brett Moller who lives downstream from the Moller Rd crossing of Behanna Creek said he heard screaming, initially thinking it was “kids jumping and yahooing around.”
“Then I heard the emergency sirens and I knew, we’ve had a number of instances down there over the years,” Mr Moller said.
“I was with the emergency rescue crews, the helicopter came out, it was very much an active emergency situation.”
Mr Moller said he believed three men were swimming together when the 33-year-old did not resurface, describing it as “heartbreaking” for the family, friends and emergency services.

Behanna Creek at Moller Rd, Aloomba is usually a calm, pristine swimming spot but can become dangerous after heavy rain.

“That causeway had been flooded this week and today (Saturday) the water had subsided in the creek but there was still water over the road.
“I know that system well, and often after rain you’ve got a strong downstream current, there’s the danger of the pipes but there’s also the new dangers after heavy rain such as the submerged logs and rocks.
“But we don’t know what’s happened with this fellow, it’s just a very sad outcome for what is usually a pristine swimming spot.”
Mr Moller said their were ample signs at the location warning of dangers but said urged visitors to be “self-aware” after rain events.
“It becomes a different environment after rain, our river and creek system change.
“There’s certainly been a lot past incidents at this causeway, a number of them over my lifetime back to when we were teenagers, pulling kids out all the time when they’d get in trouble.
“Just a few years ago (in 2018) we had that Victorian lady that jumped in during flooding rain at night and was hanging on up on a tree branch and we had to swim over and bring her back.”

Originally published as Aloomba search and rescue for man in water ends with dead body found