Work to refloat the Returner to begin tomorrow

A recovery mission to refloat a prawn trawler that sunk in mid July with three crew members onboard off the Pilbara coast will begin tomorrow.

Geraldton men Chad Fairley, 30, and Murray Turner, 57, along with Kalbarri man Mason Carter, 26, were on the commercial prawn trawler, which failed to return to Point Samson on July 15 as scheduled.

The vessel was discovered on July 29 using side-scan sonar, two weeks after the trawler went missing.

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The body of the skipper, Mr Turner, was found on August 2, but the other two crewmen remain missing.

The operation to refloat the Returner is described by WA Police as “complex” and due to a number of “safety issues”, officers will be helped by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority, the Department of Transport and local marine subsea recovery specialists Bhagwan Marine.

The recovery forms part of the ongoing investigation by WA Police on behalf of the Coroner.

Inspector Garry Nicolau said he hopes the resurfacing of Returner will provide answers as to what happened in the time leading up to the vessel sinking, and provide information that will assist all agencies with their respective investigations.

“There are families still seeking answers, still searching to find out what happened out at sea,

and the resurfacing of Returner may help answer some of those questions.”

The refloat effort will involve specialist personnel from WA Police, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority, the Department of Transport and local marine subsea recovery specialists Bhagwan Marine.

A 500m exclusion zone around the wreckage will remain in place throughout the recovery operation.