Police have released an image of swim fins in an ongoing search for a man who went missing near Ballina.
69-year-old surf lifesaver Lynn ‘Raz’ Burtonwood was last seen on Saturday, when he left for an early morning swim in rough surf.
NSW Police, Surf Lifesaving NSW, the Westpac Rescue Helicopter and the State Emergency Service are continuing a search of the coastline.
It’s believed the yellow and black ‘Mad dog’ brand fins were being worn by him at the time of his disappearance and that they could have washed ashore.
If beachgoers find a fin, or any other item of interest in the area, they’re being asked to report it to police.
@MarineRescueNSW volunteer crews from Ballina and Evans Head have resumed a search for a man missing off Lighthouse Beach in East Ballina. The search, which began on Saturday, has also inckuded @nswpolice @slsnsw @Lifesaverhelo and @NSWSES pic.twitter.com/0wPopoDI6P
— Marine Rescue NSW (@MarineRescueNSW) February 17, 2019
I saw a fin on the beach at around 4pm on Sunday – it wasn’t on the north coast though – it was down on the Central Coast and though I can’t remember what colour the fin was I do remember it was bright because it attracted my attention and it I do remember it had some black on it too. I also specifically remember the type of fin because it had the ankle strap design which stood out to me because it reminded me of the type of fins my brother wears when he boogie boards. When I saw the single fin on the beach I thought, “Oh dear someone has dropped their fin out of their bag” and I just kept walking up the beach to the car. My family also saw the fin (they were with me on Sunday afternoon). The fin was on Hargraves Beach on the northern end just before Dewfish Point. I thought the owner may come back for it so I just left it where it was.
When I saw this photo of a fin and the story of the man that had gone missing I thought I had better comment here about it even though it is a long way from Evans Head, maybe it was washed down the coastline in some rough seas or currents. Anyhow I thought I had better say something here just in case.