Overview
- Police said the Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon registered to Ash Haigh was found inactive about 14 nautical miles off Ballina late Saturday, prompting the transition to recovery.
- Haigh’s boat was located about 2am Friday drifting roughly 20–25 nautical miles offshore southeast of the Gold Coast with no one aboard.
- Investigators reported some water in the hull but otherwise a generally intact vessel, with the ignition keys on a seat and one boarding ladder down.
- Three of four life jackets were accounted for, the owner’s wallet was found in his car, and his mobile phone has not been located, police said.
- The multi-agency search involved Queensland and NSW police, AMSA aircraft, rescue helicopters, and volunteer marine units covering waters from Point Danger to Yamba.