Water Police are continuing to search southern Port Phillip Bay after a crew member was reported missing from a ship last night.
The commercial Liberia flagged oil tanker vessel left Port Melbourne around 5pm on Thursday, 30 April.
The crew requested assistance when they discovered a member was missing as they were approaching the heads.
Police were notified about 8.30pm last night. State Police Search & Rescue Coordination Centre were deployed and conducted a search of the South Port Phillip Bay area.
The missing crewman aged in his 30s was not located.
The vessel returned to Port Melbourne.
A full-scale search utilising Police Airwing, Australian Maritime Safety Authority’s Melbourne-based Challenger rescue aircraft, HEMS Air Ambulance and water vessels including Volunteer Marine Rescue and Coast Guard has continued today.
Numerous helicopters are scouring Port Phillip Bay up and down the waterway inside the heads from waters parallel with Seaford, right down to areas off the coast from Rosebud to Portsea.
A Maritime Safety Authority fixed wing rescue aircraft has also scouted areas outside the heads, but has moved its efforts to back inside the heads by mid afternoon.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Triple Zero (000).
