Chopper pilot chanced upon missing man’s remains in NT outback in ‘one-in-a-million’ find

THE pilot who found the remains of a missing visitor to the NT in the remote outback chanced upon the discovery in a ‘one-in-a-million’ find

Police have confirmed the remains found in outback NT belonged to missing Queensland man, Peter English. Picture: QLD Police

THE pilot who chanced upon the remains of Peter English on a ridge was a young 20-something pilot taking a chopper from Batchelor to Alice Springs for a service.

Mr English, from Queensland, last made contact with his family on February 11, 2019, while in Mt Isa.

An investigation was launched into his whereabouts with his last known sighting in the Tennant Creek area.

However. the investigation went cold and the 38-year-old was listed as a long-term missing person.

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The pilot, who found the remains, had put his chopper down to take a loo break on September 24, on a picturesque ridge not too far from Ali Curung.

Incredibly, it was in that very spot that he stumbled across personal possessions belonging to Mr English.

Outback Helicopters owner Paul Blore said the pilot then found Mr English’s remains a short distance away in the scrub.

“It was very decayed. There were only a few bones. They pieced together the nature of it all,” Mr Blore said.

He said the pilot then called him to explain what he had found.

“He notified me straight away and he took a GPS co-ordinate and called Alice Springs Police,” he said.

Mr Blore said the the pilot took the one-in-a-million chance discovery in his stride.

“He’s been in the outback and the bush for years. It didn’t faze him too much, he just contacted police,” Mr Blore said.

He said it was comforting to know the discovery, and subsequent confirmation from police as to who the bones belonged to, would bring some closure for the English family.

“Unfortunately it’s not the best outcome but at least it gives them a bit of closure that he’s been found. The family can have some closure,” he said.

In August Mr English’s father Gary said the family held out hope the father-of-two would be found alive.

He hoped his son had just decided to go and live off the grid.

In a statement on Thursday, NT Police said there were no suspicious circumstance around Mr English's death.

Police will prepare a report for the Coroner.

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