Missing fisherman not wearing life jacket when he fell overboard off NSW coast
A "much loved' fisherman who became tangled in fishing line before falling overboard off the NSW coast was not wearing a life jacket, police say.
Paul Barning, 58, who remains missing, was taking part in a state-wide interclub fishing competition yesterday off the coast of Port Stephens near Newcastle when he fell overboard at about 1pm, about 55 kilometres offshore.
Police were alerted just over half an hour later and a massive search was launched.
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Paul Barning has been named as the fisherman who fell overboard during a fishing competition off the NSW coast. Facebook/Paul Barning
Police said early inquiries suggested Barning, from Yowie Bay in NSW, had become tangled in fishing tackle before going overboard.
Superintendent Joe McNulty, Commander of NSW Police Marine Area Command, said the boat was retrieving "quite a large shark" when Barning became caught in the tackle and pulled into the water.
McNulty said the missing man was not wearing a life jacket when he fell overboard.
"That 58-year-old man was not wearing a life jacket, he was not wearing a flotation device that would have aided him," he said.
"That's a message to everyone fishing locally, in our waterways, offshore, he was 55km offshore without a life jacket.
"Tragically, that might have saved his life."
Crews from the NSW Water Police, Marine Rescue NSW as well as the Life Saver Rescue helicopter were searching the area 55 kilometres off the Newcastle coast, north of Sydney. 9News
McNulty said there was no evidence Barning was attacked by a shark when he fell overboard.
"At that time, the fishing line would have pulled him under," he said.
A search for Barning about 55km off the Newcastle coast resumed at 8am today.
The search will extend to south of Port Kembla and towards Jervis Bay.
Efforts have been hampered by the fast-moving current, McNulty added.
Superintendent Joe McNulty, Commander of NSW Police Marine Area Command. 9News
Crews from the NSW Water Police, Marine Rescue NSW as well as the Life Saver Rescue helicopter were searching the area yesterday.
About 40 fishing vessels, many of whom were in the same competition, immediately joined the search.
"The fishing comp was ceased immediately and those 40 boats moved into the area for search for the fisherman, their mate, their friend," McNulty said.
The rescue operation so far has taken the shape of a line search across the water.
Authorities have also undertaken drift testing.
'Never happened before'
NSW Game Fishing Association president Steve Lamond said it was "an absolute freak tragedy".
"It's never happened before in Australia, to my knowledge," he told 9News.
In a statement to members, families, and friends of the NSWGFA, Lamond said Barning was a "highly experienced game fisherman" who had been lost "the most unlikely of circumstances".
He said the association's "thoughts and prayers" were with Barning's wife and three children, as well as the crew of his vessel Dark Horse.
"This devastating accident highlights the risks involved in doing what we all love, game fishing," he said.
"Please look out for each other and stay safe."
Game fishing competitions are popular off this part of the NSW coastline due to access to deep water and warm currents that home species of marlin and large sharks.
Just a week ago, a group of anglers came face to face with three great white sharks in another competition in the same location, with the sharks getting away with half of their catch.
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