Fears for fisherman after trawler overturns off Gold Coast THE deckhand of a fishing trawler is missing after his vessel overturned in waters off the Gold Coast early today. Police believe the 39-year-old man was washed overboard after his yacht hit a submerged object or became tangled in nets about 2am. The skipper of the trawler remained on the rolled boat for seven hours before it began to sink. An automatic-release lift raft surfaced as the vessel sunk and the 54-year-old man was able to climb on board. The Parkwood man was found clinging to the raft 14 nautical miles east of Southport by an AGL Action Rescue Helicopter tasked to track his distress beacon at 10.30am. As the helicopter flew towards the skipper, he released a flare alerting the crew to his position. The man was winched from the water and flown to the Gold Coast Airport, where he was met by an ambulance and taken to Robina Hospital with minor lacerations and mild hypothermia. The Australian Maritime Safety Authority is coordinating the search for the missing deckhand. For more, visit The Gold Coast Bulletin