Two divers found alive after 20-hour search off North Stradbroke Island
Two divers lost in rough seas off the Queensland coast have been found alive after a tense search that lasted more than 20 hours.
Emergency crews were called at around 10am on Saturday morning after the couple, a 45-year-old from Victoria Point and a 43-year-old from Robina, failed to return to their boat by the expected 9.15am near Point Lookout on North Stradbroke Island.
A massive search involving water police, rescue ships and air crews was launched at around 10.30am as concerns about the missing men grew due to worsening ocean conditions.
Just before 7am on Sunday, an Australian Maritime Safety Authority Challenger jet spotted the pair about 2.2 nautical miles east of Main Beach, about 14 nautical miles south of where they were last seen, and launched a life raft to keep them afloat.
Water police soon reached the divers and brought them to safety before they were loaded onto the Surf Life Saving helicopter.
The men were flown to a park in Southport, assessed by paramedics and then transferred to Gold Coast University Hospital in a stable condition.
Authorities later confirmed that both men returned home safely.
Acting Sergeant Matt Boswell said the ordeal showed how quickly situations can escalate in the water.
“You never know what’s going to happen,” Sergeant Boswell said.
“They were located approximately 2.2 nautical miles off the Main Coast and drifted approximately 14 nautical miles south of their initial position…it is a long way, they have traveled a lot of distance.”
