UPDATE: Wednesday, 9.10pm
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A 61-year-old man has died after he became trapped in a boat which overturned off Portland on Wednesday.
Emergency response controller Gavin Slade, who is also an Acting Senior Sergeant and Divisional Supervisor at Portland, said police search and rescue divers located the dead man trapped under the upturned vessel about 5pm.
He said the man was from Red Lion, south of Maryborough, and he was with three friends on the boat. His name has not yet been released.
The police air wing flew Water Police investigators and divers to Portland from Melbourne to help with the rescue efforts which also included the Portland Coastguard, Portland police, the HEMS 4 air ambulance, ambulance and SES.
He said the three other people on board were taken to Portland hospital on Wednesday afternoon and released about 7.30pm.
UPDATE: Wednesday, 4.45pm
Police divers from Melbourne have been flown to Portland to help with the search for a missing man.
The 61-year-old man was in a group of four people whose boat overturned at popular fishing spot Dutton Way after 11.30am Wednesday.
Emergency response controller Gavin Slade, who is also an Acting Senior Sergeant and Divisional Supervisor at Portland, said the search was ongoing.
He said the police were alerted after several calls from the public to Triple Zero and Water Police investigators were en route to Portland.
The three other people have been taken to the Portland hospital.
"Water police divers are in the water at the moment," Acting Senior Sergeant Slade said.
"They're doing an immediate search of the boat area. We're waiting on a reply with how they go there.
“If there's no luck there we broaden the search until we run out of light and we'll recommence tomorrow depending on what the outcome is."
He said he believed the three other people on the boat were a group of friends, possibly some family members and that they weren't local residents, but the exact details were yet to be confirmed.
"Three are in reasonable condition at the Portland hospital and they're assisting police with our enquiries at the moment."
Acting Senior Sergeant Slade said Water Police, Coastguard, local police and the HEMS 4 air ambulance responded and remained on the scene.
Portland resident Anne McCurdy said she was out looking for whales when she saw police arrive.
"I pulled over to see what was happening and someone said 'someone is missing'," Ms McCurdy said.
Ms McCurdy said she watched as one person on the upturned boat and two people were rescued from the water about 300 metres from where she was standing.
"They dropped a guy from the HEMS 4 chopper down and he swam to the boat to do medical checks on the guys that had been rescued."
She said the three people were taken onto the Portland Coastguard boat where they remained for about 30 minutes before being taken to shore.
More to come.
UPDATE: Wednesday, 1.49pm: It appears a 61-year-old male wearing a life jacket is trapped underneath an overturned vessel at Portland.
Portland’s coast guard, police and surf lifesavers are working to free the man. The Warrnambool-based HEMS4 emergency helicopter continues to be involved in the rescue effort.
Three other people who were on the vessel are on shore.
UPDATE, Wednesday, 1.24pm: PORTLAND’S coast guard and police officers are currently taking part in a rescue.
It’s understood four people are involved.
There are now three people in the coast guard boat conscious and breathing, but a fourth person has been unable to be located at this stage.
The Warrnambool-based HEMS4 emergency helicopter is now involved in the rescue effort.
A police command post is now being established at the Dutton Way Caravan Park.
More details to come.
UPDATE, Wednesday, 1.03pm: PORTLAND’S coast guard and police officers are currently taking part in a rescue.
It’s understood four people are involved.
There are now three people in the coast guard boat conscious and breathing, but a fourth person has been unable to be located at this stage.
The Warrnambool-based HEMS4 emergency helicopter is now involved in the rescue effort.
More details to come.
At 12.58pm: PORTLAND’S coast guard and police officers are currently taking part in a rescue.
It’s understood four people are involved.
There are now in the coast guard boat but a fourth person has been unable to be located at this stage.
The Warrnambool-based HEMS4 emergency helicopter is now overhead and has joined the rescue effort.
More details to come.
At 12.48pm: PORTLAND’S coast guard and police officers are currently taking part in a rescue.
It’s understood at least three people are involved – there could be four – two are now in the coast guard boat and the vessel is moving to pick up a third person.
The Warrnambool-based HEMS4 emergency helicopter is about 10 minutes away from joining the rescue effort.
It will coordinate with the coast guard in the rescue.
More details to come.
At 12.44pm: PORTLAND’S coast guard and police officers are currently taking part in a rescue.
It’s understood at least three people are involved – there could be four – two are now in the coast guard boat and the vessel is moving to pick up a third person.
Details are sketchy as most of the Portland police on duty are involved in the rescue.
More details to come.
At 12.40pm: PORTLAND’S coast guard and police officers are currently taking part in a rescue.
It’s understood at there could be four people involved, two are still in the water and struggling but OK.
Details are sketchy as most of the Portland police on duty are involved in the rescue.
More details to come.