Distraught family arrive from NZ as search for paddler enters third day
Distraught relatives of a missing paddler have arrived in Queensland as a chopper, a fleet of vessels and land-based crews continue to search for him off Brisbane.
Police hold grave fears for 26-year-old Jordan Kelly who became separated from his mate Jack McDonald while they were paddling their surf skis around North Stradbroke Island on Saturday.
McDonald has told police they paddled for hours getting nowhere in one of Queenslandâs most treacherous sand bars.
Both ended up in the water when McDonaldâs ski started to sink. The 28-year-old has told police his friend Jordan âslipped awayâ after exhaustion set in.
McDonald was able to paddle to safety, making it to Amity Point Wharf on the island at about 8pm, about seven hours after they got into trouble.
On Monday, police could not confirm media reports that the second ski had been found in the ocean.
The search is continuing with the assistance of a helicopter and a dozen vessels. Other teams are checking the shorelines of North Stradbroke and nearby Moreton islands.
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Members of Kellyâs family have arrived from New Zealand, with others on their way.
Police have shared McDonaldâs account of what happened.
He told authorities they set off from Dunwich, on the mainland side of the island, and intended to paddle around the top of the island to Cylinder Beach, on the ocean-facing side before heading back again.
But about 1.30pm on Saturday, McDonaldâs ski started to sink.
âJordan has paddled over to assist him. Theyâve both held onto that ski until such a time, after dark, that theyâve just become weak and tired from being in the water and unfortunately Jordan slipped away,â Acting Senior Sergeant Mitch Gray said.
The men were not wearing life jackets and sea conditions on the exposed side of the island were hazardous, he said.
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âAs time goes on, certainly we become more and more concerned weâre not going to have a happy ending to this scenario.â
Gray said eight boats and four jet skis resumed the search for Mr Kelly early Monday morning.
âToday weâll be looking from the tips of Moreton Island ⌠from the northern tip to the most southern tip, and weâre looking inside the bay and certainly offshore as well.â
He said McDonald had a âtraumaticâ experience on Saturday and had described his ordeal to police.
âJackâs upset. Heâs very concerned for his friend, as are we,â he said.
âThey fell off a number of times, then Jackâs actual surf ski started taking on water.
âJordanâs paddled over to help him and theyâve ended up just sort of hanging on to Jordanâs ski.
â[With] hypothermia, cold temperatures and the water, itâs extremely difficult to hang on to objects.âThe colder you get your physical functions of your hands and things become difficult to utilise.
âAt some point, you know, Jordanâs let go of the ski, and theyâve drifted away and when Jack could no longer see him, heâs gone for help, and paddled as fast as he could back to Amity Point.â
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