This was published 6 years ago
Mass search fails to find missing gyrocopter pilot despite credible sighting
By Jorge Branco & Toby Crockford
The search will resume at first light on Friday for a 78-year-old missing gyrocopter pilot and his aircraft after they disappeared on Wednesday.
Despite a total of 10 aircraft being involved and the search area being narrowed down by a credible sighting of the gyrocopter, there was no sign of the aircraft or its pilot on Thursday.
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority said the aircraft took off about 1.45pm from Booyan Airstrip just north of Bundaberg.
It should have landed at a private property in Farnborough just north of Yeppoon about two hours later.
The craft never arrived but AMSA was not notified until Wednesday night, sparking the search.
The search began that night with two night-vision equipped helicopters and continued on Thursday, with nine helicopters and a Challenger jet searching between Bundaberg and Yeppoon.
A particular focus was placed on an area just south of Baffle Creek after an unconfirmed but credible sighting of the gyrocopter was reported to AMSA by a member of the public.
The Challenger jet and 10 helicopters were expected to resume the search on Friday, with police planning to conduct a ground search of the area south of Baffle Creek.
AMSA spokesman Sam Cardwell said authorities had issued an appeal for information, asking anyone who may have seen or heard a gyrocopter from 1-6pm on Wednesday to come forward.
“He (the pilot) has been missing for quite some time with no contact so (we have) serious concerns,” Mr Cardwell said.
The gyrocopter was likely flying low over the coast over towns including Seventeen Seventy, Gladstone, Agnes Water, Tannum Sands and Emu Park.
Anyone with information should call the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre on 1800 815 257.