'Full of love, compassion and emotion': Fiancee's heartbreak for missing fisherman Eli Tonks

The heartbroken fiancée of a “fearless” fisherman missing along with five of his mates after their trawler capsized has paid tribute to the father-of-two.

Eli Tonks, 39, was due to marry his partner Ana James next year but is feared drowned after the vessel he was on capsized on Monday.

Police today said the search for the missing men - skipper Ben Leahy, 45, and crew members Adam Hoffman, 30, Mr Tonks, Adam Bidner, 33, Chris Sammut, 34, and Zach Feeney, 28 - would soon likely become a recovery operation.

In a statement, Ms James said the family had not given up hope of finding Mr Tonks alive.

“Eli is so full of love, compassion and emotion, and is one of the strongest, most kind hearted people,” Ms James said.

“He is a machine. Friends and family know he would not give up without a fight.

“Most of us continue to hold onto hope that he’s kicked back on one of the islands with a coconut in hand – because that’s the kind of guy he is.

“Fearless and capable of anything.”

Police say it would take a "miracle" to find the men alive.

“We're still hopeful that there will be some sort of miracle but it would be that now,” Darren Sommerville from Queensland Police said.

“It would be a miracle if we were to find someone alive.”

Ms James’ statement came after Ruben McDornan, suspected to be the sole survivor of the accident, was reunited with his wife Sammy.

Mr McDornan clung to the boat's hull for hours as his crewmates screamed for help from below deck.

He shared a lengthy embrace with his wife on the tarmac in Gladstone today, the first time the couple had seen each other since the trawler wreck.

Mr McDornan has not spoken publicly but thanked the community for their support in a statement today.

“Ruben is very distressed regarding this incident and is concerned for the welfare of his friends who remain missing, and their families,” he said via Queensland Police.