Search continues for remaining Tas boatie

Crews have begun a fourth morning combing coastline in Tasmania’s northwest in the search for a young man who remains missing after going on a boat trip with friends.

The bodies of Isaiah Dixon, 26, and Bree-Anna Thomas were found on Wednesday afternoon washed ashore near Table Cape.

Search efforts are ongoing for Thomas Courto, who was part of the group of three that set off from the town of Wynyard on Monday.

They were reported missing that afternoon after they failed to return.

The white and yellow 17-foot motorboat was last spotted off Boat Harbour Beach to the west of Wynyard on Monday afternoon.

Tasmania Police Inspector Steve Jones said air searches would continue on Friday and over the weekend.

He said an underwater surveyor with a sonar would be used on Monday to search an area of about 320 hectares where authorities believe the boat may be.

“Tasmania Police will use whatever we can to try and locate that missing vessel and Thomas as well,” Insp Jones told reporters late on Thursday.

Isaiah’s uncle, John-Paul Dixon, said his nephew will be remembered as having a beautiful heart.

“They were planning on going out for a bit of a fun day,” he said.

“(They) had a bit of a swim in front of a waterfall and sat on the beach, the three of them. It’s just a tragedy.”

Police have told volunteers not to join search efforts at sea because of the rough weather, after many members of the tight-knit northwest took out their own boats on Tuesday.

“If a person had a boat, it was in the water. If they had a plane, it was in the air,” Mr Dixon said.

“If they had a pair of boots, they were walking. I just can’t thank everyone enough.”

Mr Dixon said the two men had grown up together and the trio were close friends.

A vigil was held on Wednesday night at the Wynyard boat ramp and flowers and messages of support have been left in a park.