Qld: Man and tractor missing in north Qld floodwaters
28 Feb 2009 10:44 AM
BRISBANE, Feb 28 AAP - Police are continuing to search for a 70-year-old man missing in floodwaters north of Julia Creek, north Queensland.
Police said the man and his tractor may have been swept away by rising floodwaters while he was grading near the Flinders River bridge crossing on Taldora Road, 83km north of Julia Creek, on Friday morning.
An employee of the missing man was unable to locate him or his tractor about 10am (AEST) on Friday.
Tyre marks indicated the tractor had been on the bridge earlier that morning, police said.
A private aircraft and a mustering helicopter were sent up to look for the man, without success.
The State Emergency Services' swift water flood boat team were unable to launch their boat due to adverse conditions.
The search was called off on Friday night but resumed at first light on Saturday morning.
A police spokesman said soft and boggy conditions had made it extremely hard to search using vehicles and motorcycles.
