Missing boat found, search continues

Missing man Geoffrey Hibberd.

By Mitchell Clarke

Two men are feared drowned after the boat they were travelling in was found washed up on rocks at Pyramid Rock.

An extensive search to locate 20-year-old Somerville man Jason De Silva and 33-year-old Balnarring man Geoffrey Hibberd will continue.

It’s understood the men set out on a fishing expedition in Westernport Bay from the Flinders boat ramp, sometime before 6am on Sunday morning, 5 April but failed to return to shore.

A friend raised the alarm to police just before 9pm on Sunday night after being unable to contact the pair.

Worried family members, including Melbourne Football Club player Michael Hibberd who is the brother of Mr Hibberd, was seen anxiously waiting at the Flinders pier.

“Conditions were quite treacherous … they may very well have sort refuge somewhere,” Sergeant Jeremy Michau said.

It’s understood the men often fish off the Flinders coast, west of Phillip Island.

Water Police, Coast Guard and Volunteer Marine Rescue agencies, along with the Victoria Police Airwing and AUSSAR Challenger Search Aircraft were all deployed.

The search for the pair continues.

“We’ll keep going until we find what we find,” Sgt Michau added.