An urgent search has resumed on Thursday morning for a 43-year-old boatie missing off the NSW coast.
Ashley McKellar failed to return home as planned after a voyage at Lake Macquarie on Wednesday, sparking the multi-agency response that night, according to Marine Rescue NSW.
He was last seen at a Bolton Point home at 8.30am and NSW Police believe he may have launched his boat from a lake access point nearby two hours later.
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His boat is a Telewater 4.8m Aluminium Runabout with registration plates VK844N.
“Police and family hold serious concerns for his welfare as his disappearance is out of character,” NSW Police said.
Marine Rescue NSW commander of the Hunter and Central Coast zone Steve Raymond said two vessels searched for four hours from 7.45pm.
They were stood down at midnight, before Marine Rescue NSW boats resumed the search at 7.30am on Thursday.
One vessel — the Lake Macquarie 30 — searched Lake Macquarie on Thursday morning, and will search from the south of Swansea Heads northward to Newcastle alongside vessels Terrigal 30 and Water Police 22.
Another two vessels — the Lemon Tree Passage 30 and Port Stephens 30 — are conducting a line search from Anna Bay to Newcastle.
“Newcastle 30 is off Redhead providing assistance to the aerial search in that area,” Raymond said.