Kelly Slater joins desperate search for popular fisherman, 26, who vanished over a week ago after his empty boat was found motoring in circles
- Trent Riley has been missing since April 14 after going fishing near Brisbane
- His boat was later found by police empty and motoring in circles off Mud Island
- Search rescue efforts failed to locate any sign of the missing 26-year-old
- A GoFundMe to support family during the search has raised almost $60,000
Global surfing icon Kelly Slater has joined the desperate search for a popular fisherman who vanished just over a week ago.
Trent Riley, 26, is believed to have fallen overboard from his tinnie in Brisbane’s Moreton Bay on April 14.
Mr Riley’s aluminum boat was found by police off Mud Island, near the Port of Brisbane, about 3.30pm the same day.
He had posted two short clips to his Instagram stories just two hours earlier, showing followers his fishing rod and the seemingly calm water surroundings in Moreton Bay.
Surfing icon Kelly Slater (pictured above) has joined the desperate search for popular skater Trent Riley, who vanished over a week ago in Brisbane
On Thursday, 11-time world champion Slater posted details on one of his Instagram stories (pictured above) about the missing fisherman. Slater asked his social media followers to ‘keep an eye out in the Brisbane area’ for Mr Riley
On Thursday, 11-time world champion Slater posted details on one of his own Instagram stories about the missing fisherman.
Slater asked his 2.7 million social media followers to ‘keep an eye out in the Brisbane area’ for Mr Riley.
A GoFundMe page set up to help his family ‘continue the search for Trent’ has raised close to $60,000 for the immensely popular missing man.
‘Any support is greatly appreciated and will help keep Trent’s family focusing on their main goal – bringing Trent home,’ organiser Caitlin Ennis wrote on the page.
A Facebook page – Let’s find Trent Riley – has also been established, with friends constantly posting their search efforts in the hope of finding the missing man.
Queensland Police Acting Inspector Mark Mooney said Mr Riley’s Instagram posts just before 1.30pm on April 14 featuring calm conditions on the bay were his last known whereabouts.
‘That’s the last we heard of him, of his posting or interaction,’ Inspector Mooney told reporters.
Insp Mooney said the boat was not damaged, indicating there had not been any collision, but one of Mr Riley’s three fishing rods were missing.
He said a dry bag Mr Riley would have taken with him if he had ‘voluntarily’ got into the water remained in his boat.
‘We are not totally aware at this stage how he has fallen out of the boat,’ Insp Mooney said.
Water Police, Volunteer Marine Rescue, helicopters and volunteer coastguard have been involved in the search.
At the time he went missing, Mr Riley was wearing a long-sleeved grey fishing shirt, black jeans, black shoes and a bucket hat.
He is described as being Caucasian, about 183cm tall, with a proportionate build and brown hair.
A fundraising effort is ongoing for fisherman Trent Riley (pictured) whose boat was found empty and motoring in circles in Brisbane’s Moreton Bay on April 14
Mr Riley (pictured) had posted two videos on social media showing calm waters two hours before he went missing on April 14
Queensland Police found Mr Riley’s unmanned small aluminum boat (pictured) driving ‘uncontrolled’ off Mud Island about 3:30pm on April 14 – he still remains unaccounted for