Police continue extensive search for missing owner of mystery boat

Police are now scouring the banks of the River Derwent for the missing owner of a boat, which ran aground at Kingston Beach. But concerns are growing the longer he’s unaccounted for.

Boat washed up on Kingston Beach with no one on board. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

Police say the chances of survival could be “low” for a missing man, believed to have fallen into the River Derwent, before his boat mysteriously washed up at Kingston Beach on Wednesday.

The desperate search for the man continued on Thursday, after police confirmed the owner of the boat, aged in his seventies, had gone missing.

“The occupant of that vessel and the owner of that vessel departed Prince of Wales Bay at about 7am yesterday morning,” Tasmania Police southern district commander Jason Elmer said.

“We believe that vessel was headed downstream on the Derwent River.

“We have looked at CCTV … a number of police inquiries at this point indicate that he perhaps was not wearing a life jacket.”

Police investigate after a boat washed up on Kingston Beach with no one on board. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

The boat, a 10-metre fibreglass flybridge cruiser, with a small dingy attached to it, ran aground at Kingston Beach after 2pm on Wednesday.

Police are trying to piece together exactly what happened leading up to that point, including what the man was doing on the water.

“We are now currently reviewing all information in relation to the matter including the survivability of a person in the water, given the overnight temperatures and the current water temperatures,” commander Elmer said.

“Given the current water temperature and overnight temperature, that makes survivability at this point in time, if he was still in the water, very low.”

The owner is believed to have been the only person on board the vessel.

Police searched extensively from the air, land and sea for any signs of the man, even scouring along the banks of the river.

Members from Kingston Beach Surf Life Saving Club. Boat washed up on Kingston Beach with no one on board. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

“We’ve had two helicopters in the air, we’ve had up to seven vessels on the water at a time … as well as a number of police who patrol in areas, both sides of the Derwent River,” commander Elmer said.

“It’s a fairly large search area.

“We would ask any members of the public who are out on either side on the water or along the shores to keep an eye out for anything and then to notify us if they find anything that might be relevant.”

Police are in contact with the man’s relatives.

The boat was towed from Kingston Beach on Wednesday evening and is now in the hands of police.

Tasmania Police vessel Dauntless towing the boat No Replay. Boat washed up on Kingston Beach with no one on board. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

“We’ve currently got possession of the boat and we’re searching the boat to see if there’s anything that can perhaps give us an indication of what’s occurred,” commander Elmer said.

Police say the circumstances are not believed to be suspicious.