A sailor lost in the Bass Strait may have gone overboard days before he was reported missing on New Year's Eve.
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The man in his 80s, who police believe was from the East Coast, had been travelling between Tasmania and Victoria last week, and had contacted a friend back home as he was heading to Deal Island, north-west of Flinders Island.
That friend tried to get in touch again two days later, but when they could not contact the sailor directly, they tried the marine radio network, and other vessels.
The sailor did not respond, and police were contacted on Thursday, December 31.
Northern police rescue crews were sent from Tasmania, with their efforts focused initially on key ports where he may have taken shelter, including Deal Island, Lady Barron, and Whitemark.
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority joined the mission, sending its challenger jet aircraft to search the path the sailor was expected to have travelled.
His yacht was eventually found, but rescuers could not yet determine if he was onboard.
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Northern Search and Rescue Inspector Darren Hopkins said there were two initial theories.
"The theories were that he was overboard or he had a medical episode, and was inside the cabin," he said.
"Our Westpac Rescue Helicopter went to the site and circled the vessel, and tried to raise him onboard. They didn't have a diver, so Victoria sent their ambulance helicopter over, and they had a diver onboard."
The Victorian diver was able to get into the water, but by that time, there was not enough light for them to access the yacht. It was about 3am the next morning that Victoria Police were able to access the yacht via another one of their own vessels, and confirm nobody was inside the cabin or onboard.
Police also discovered the life raft was still on the yacht.
Medical advice to police stated it was highly unlikely the sailor would have survived.
"GPS data showed where and when he may have come into grief, and it showed it was days, which is well over the survivability period," Inspector Hopkins said.
Despite the search officially being called off on Friday, Tasmanian rescuers again searched nearby islands on Saturday, in hopes of finding a body.
"While AMSA was satisfied on medical advice that he was deceased and there was no point in searching further, we initiated our own search of the foreshores and beaches where a body would likely wash up," Inspector Hopkins said.
"It is nice for family and friends to have that closure, so we made a concerted effort to search further."
But the man was never found.
The tragedy was now being investigated by the coroner.
It was understood the man had been living on the East Coast of Tasmania, but had no next of kin.