Police dismiss croc involvement, search scaled back for missing fisherman in the Far North
MYSTERY
An intensive search and rescue mission that stretched over seven days has been scaled down for a man that was reported missing following a solo fishing trip in the Far North.
The man in his 60s, from Sydney had been visiting friends at the highly popular Bramwell Station and set off around 8am on November 12 to do a spot of fishing in the vicinity of the Olive River crossing at Shelburne.
A rescue helipcopter spotted the man’s ATV on the banks of the river early in the search as well as a fishing rod and an esky but that’s proved the only trace of the man.
Despite a three metre crocodile being located in the water near the man’s ATV Smithfield Police station Senior Sergeant Ed Lukin in addressing the media a short time ago said officials “were confident a crocodile was not involved in this situation”.
Police and emergency services, including the Rescue 700 helicopter, SES volunteers and Department of Environment and Science wildlife officers searched a vast area in difficult conditions.