Heath "Heffa" BLOEDORN

Search update - missing deckhand off Innisfail QLD

Extensive search efforts have failed to locate deckhand Heath Bloedorn, missing from the fishing vessel “Pallarenda” since Saturday.

Today’s search involved 13 aircraft and two vessels and covered 400 square nautical miles of sea, coastline and islands from Bramston Beach to Green Island.

Further coastline and island searches are being conducted by helicopter between Flying Fish Point and Green Island this afternoon.

Coastline and island searches will be conducted by helicopter tomorrow.

Last updated 31/05/2006


Parents plea for missing deckhand

Monika and Bernie Bloedorn, the parents of missing trawler crew member Heath Bloedorn are continuing their plea for assistance to find their missing son.

So far extensive search efforts have failed to locate Heath who has been missing from the fishing vessel “Pallarenda” since Saturday.

The desperate parents have issued the below second written statement and enclosed photographs in the hope of gaining further assistance.

At first light this morning, Bernie and Monika Bloedorn, parents of missing trawler crew member, Heath Bloedorn joined the land and sea search for their missing son. They have not yet given up hope of finding Heath alive.

Last night, the Bloedorns had secured assistance from friends and supporters who have mobilised with vehicles and water craft to assist in the continued search. In addition, Police along with Search and Rescue were providing aerial support.

Mr Bloedorn said, "There is something strange in all this, what has happened is completely out of character for Heath. He was on steering watch while other members of the crew slept. This is a responsible position and Heath is a diligent man. We will find Heath and get to the bottom of this."

The Bloedorns are appealing for any assistance, anyone is willing to offer.

"The Police have been magnificent in their assistance," Mr Bloedorn said. "Search & Rescue have also been immensely supportive. But our son is still missing and we will gratefully accept any assistance from anyone who wishes to contribute time, energy or resources in helping us find Heath, because time is running out.

“In spite of the reasonably kind weather, if we don't find him soon, exposure and fatigue will eventually catch up with him. For us, the situation is becoming desperate, he said."

Last updated 31/05/2006


Tuesday, May 30, 2006. 8:00pm (AEST) - ABC
Search for missing deckhand called off

The search for a trawler deckhand, missing off the north Queensland coast around Innisfail, has been called off.

Heath Bloedorn, 22, has not been seen since Saturday night when he left the trawler on a surfski.

A ski and paddle were found during an extensive search of the area.

Sergeant Andy Ibell says it is still unclear why the man left the trawler.

"We've again spoken to family and we've again spoken to friends and we firmly believe he was in good spirits, in good health, and had no reason at all to leave the vessel to, for example, make his way to shore or to get off the boat for any reason," he said.


`OUR SON KNOWS HOW TO SURVIVE'
By LEONIE JOHNSON - Townsville Bulletin
30may06

MISSING deckhand Heath Bloedorn's parents arrived in Cairns last night to be closer to the search for their son.

The 22-year-old deckhand was reported missing off the Townsville trawler Pallarenda between Bramston Beach and Innisfail about 10pm Saturday.

No one has seen or heard from him since.

Parents Bernie and Monika Bloedorn left their Alice Springs home for North Queensland yesterday.

They haven't given up hope of finding their son.

Mrs Bloedorn said if anyone could survive the ordeal it was her boy.

"He has got really strong survival skills," Mrs Bloedorn said.

"He's a good swimmer and living out at Alice Springs he knew how to survive in the bush.

"He's got what it takes to survive.

"We're going to Cairns because we want to be there if he's found, when he's found.

"We're just hopeful he did something crazy and jumped off the boat for some bizarre circumstance and will turn up safe."

Mrs Bloedorn was woken early Sunday to the news that Heath had been reported missing.

"At about 1am Sunday the police phoned and said that the other two crew members found Heath missing and raised the alarm," she said.

"They don't know what happened to him.

"Only that when they noticed him missing and searched for him they couldn't find him."

Heath had only been working on a prawn trawler in Cairns since December.

Mrs Bloedorn said he had previously worked on trawlers off the Northern Territory coast but wanted to move to North Queensland to study at James Cook University.

"He went to Cairns to further his education because he wanted to study marine biology," she said.

"He was working to support his studies to finish his Year 12 certificate to get into university.

"He was really positive about the future."

Mrs Bloedorn said things were just looking up for Heath when he disappeared.

"He was doing really well and was really happy the last time we spoke to him," she said.

"He had just found a really rare prawn that the CSIRO were interested in and he kept it alive for them to take away for further study.

"The CSIRO were asking about whether he was a good worker and whether he was keen to learn.

"He would have loved to land a job with them so he was quite excited.

"He loved being out on the water and was really focused on his future."

It hasn't quite hit Mrs Bloedorn that her son may not be found.

"Everything has just been so surreal," she said.

"It hasn't hit home yet and I don't think it will be until we get to Cairns that it will hit hard.

"His two brothers and sister back in Alice Springs have mixed emotions.

"We're going over to represent the family and watch over the search.

"We want to be at the command centre and speak to everyone about what is being done."

Police will start to scale back the search today as rescuers begin their third day of scanning the coastline and nearby islands.

Yesterday two Coast Guard vessels, 11 helicopters and two fixed wing aircraft covered 400 square nautical miles of sea between Bramston Beach and Fitzroy Island.

Monday, June 5, 2006. 9:32am (AEST)
Missing deckhand's family not giving up hope - ABC

The family of a missing deckhand have not given up hope he will be found alive, despite finding no trace of him during weekend searches.

Heath Bloedorn, 22, has not been seen since he disappeared from a trawler off the coast of Innisfail more than a week ago.

A group of 14 relatives and friends spent the weekend searching the coast between Flying Fish Point and Coopers Point and at Bramston Beach.

Monica Bloedorn is returning to Alice Springs to help her children cope with her son's disappearance, but she says the family is not planning a memorial.

"Absolutely, there'll be no memorial service. We're hoping sometime he'll turn up," she said.