Experienced game fisherman Ashley “Ash” Haigh, 44, left Runaway Bay Marina on the Gold Coast just after 6:30 a.m. on Thursday, February 5, 2026, for what was meant to be a routine solo fishing trip targeting marlin in the waters off southeast Queensland. A beloved father, husband, and well-known figure in the local fishing community, Haigh was renowned for his skill and passion on the water. Friends described him as cautious, prepared, and deeply experienced — the kind of man who knew the ocean like the back of his hand.

By evening, when his black half-cabin boat failed to return as expected around 7 p.m., alarm bells rang. Queensland Police and emergency services launched an immediate search. Just hours later, at approximately 2 a.m. on Friday, February 6, rescuers located the vessel drifting unmanned about 46 kilometers (roughly 25 nautical miles) offshore, near Burleigh Heads. The boat appeared intact, with no signs of damage, struggle, or foul play evident at first glance. Yet Haigh was nowhere to be found.

The discovery shifted the operation into high gear. Air, sea, and land crews scoured hundreds of square kilometers along the coastline, extending searches into northern New South Wales waters as currents could have carried him south. Family, friends, and the tight-knit Gold Coast fishing community held their breath, clinging to any possibility that the seasoned mariner had somehow survived.

Then came the update that deepened the mystery and sparked cautious hope: one of the boat’s life jackets was missing. Police have not confirmed whether Haigh was wearing it at the time he disappeared, but the absence stands out as a critical detail. In open ocean scenarios, a missing personal flotation device often suggests the person may have donned it before entering — or being forced into — the water. For loved ones, it offers a fragile thread of possibility: if he managed to get the life jacket on, survival chances increase dramatically, even days later.

Adding to the intrigue, on Saturday, February 7, search teams recovered Haigh’s inactive Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) floating about 14 nautical miles off Ballina, roughly 25 kilometers east of the New South Wales border town. The device, registered to Haigh, had not been activated — meaning it either detached accidentally or was manually released without signaling distress. No other personal items, debris, or signs of life have surfaced nearby, but the EPIRB’s location miles from the boat indicates drift patterns that could still hold clues.

By Sunday, February 8, Queensland Police officially transitioned the operation from search-and-rescue to recovery phase, acknowledging the grim reality after more than 72 hours with no trace. “The search and rescue operation has now transitioned into the recovery phase, and officers continue to be in contact with the man’s family,” a police statement read. Yet the missing life jacket remains the one element refusing to close the door entirely on hope. In maritime disappearances, especially involving experienced individuals on calm seas (conditions were reported as favorable that day), anomalies like this keep investigators and families asking: Could he have activated the beacon, entered the water intentionally or accidentally, and still be clinging to survival?

Haigh’s friends have spoken publicly about his character. Andrew Dunbar, a close mate who spoke with him the night before the trip, called the news devastating but emphasized Ash’s preparedness. The fishing community has rallied, sharing stories of his expertise and generosity, while online fundraisers and support networks have emerged to assist his family during this agonizing wait.

The case has reignited discussions about safety protocols for solo boaters. Experts stress the importance of activated EPIRBs, worn life jackets, filed float plans, and regular check-ins — measures Haigh reportedly followed diligently. Yet the ocean remains unforgiving; even the most seasoned can fall victim to a rogue wave, medical event, or simple slip overboard.

As the recovery phase continues with targeted searches, the family holds onto the missing life jacket as their final flicker of hope. No body has been found, no definitive evidence of tragedy confirmed beyond the empty boat and drifting beacon. In the silence of the vast Pacific, that one absent piece of safety gear whispers a question the entire Gold Coast is asking: Could Ash Haigh still be alive?

Authorities urge anyone with information — sightings, debris, or anything unusual on the water — to contact Crime Stoppers or police immediately. For now, the search may have changed, but for those who love him, the vigil endures.