Fears triathlete, 35, may have been eaten by a SHARK while hanging onto the back of sinking jet ski on a dash back to shore
A jet ski rider missing off Queensland’s Sunshine Coast may have been taken by a shark, police fear.
Luke Howard vanished as he and a mate made a desperate dash for the shore after their vessel took on water on Monday afternoon.
Choppers, boats and drones are searching for the missing man who was in the water and being towed behind the stricken craft when he disappeared.
Choppers, boats and drones are searching for triathlete Luke Howard (pictured), who was in the water and being towed when he disappeared off the Sunshine Coast on Monday afternoon
Police have spoken to the man’s distraught friend, who made it back to the beach, abandoned the jet ski and raised the alarm
The 35-year-old and his friend were fishing near Mudjimba Island when the emergency forced them to head for shore.
Senior Constable Mark Vickers says Mr Howard stripped off his life jacket to search for the leak.
‘The missing person got off the jetski to check the bungs and find out why it was taking on water,’ he said on Tuesday.
‘He was unable to get back on the jet ski.’
As the jet ski became unstable, the two men made for shore and Mr Howard complained of being tired.
‘When the jet ski has arrived on the beach, the missing person was no longer with the jet ski,’ Const Vickers said.
The 35-year-old and a friend had been fishing from the craft when it got into trouble near Mudjimba Island and they had to head for shore.
He said police could not rule out that the man had been taken by a shark.
‘It’s possible, we just don’t know what has happened.’
Visibility for the search has been good and the sea flat, eroding hopes he might have survived.
‘We would have expected to have a result almost straight away in those conditions considering we had all the resources poured in from the start,’ Const Vickers said.
‘It’s probably more of a recovery now but we will keep searching until all hope is lost.’
Police have spoken to the man’s distraught friend and family who have gathered on the beach near the search area desperate for news.
Friends say Mr Howard, a triathlete, is fit and are hoping his physical strength might have allowed him to survive.
The search will continue until last light and is expected to resume on Wednesday.