Search for man swept off Salmon Holes suspended

A search for a 30-year-old man who slipped off rocks whilst fishing at notorious Albany fishing spot Salmon Holes has been suspended for the night.

A land, air and sea search for the tourist believed to be from Afghanistan started just after 1.40pm after witnesses spotted a man in the water.

The search will resume at first light tomorrow with Water Police and divers joining the operation.

Police say the man’s friends and family did not see or hear him fall into the water before witnesses lost sight of his floating body.

Two Albany Sea Rescue vessels and spotter plane were continuing the search for the man into fading light this evening at the location where there have been 12 drowning deaths since 1973.

The man had only been in Albany a day having visited the region from Perth.

Great Southern police Superintendent Dom Wood said the police had found a rope on the rocks but were unsure if the angler was using it.

“We have been down to the site, we have recovered a rope whether that was rope being used by the person who has gone in the water we don’t know at this stage,” he said.

“We believe there was only the one person who was fishing, he was with some family members. I believe there was one family member down on the beach and was aware the person who has gone missing was fishing on the rocks.

“I understand he has looked up and the person we are talking about who was fishing was no longer on the rocks.”

Last year, two rock anglers were washed off the rocks on April 18 – the body of one man was recovered but the search for the other was called off after four days.

Yesterday also marked 12 months since an Albany teenager died whilst rock fishing with her boyfriend at another south coast location.