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"Miss you every single day": Patti Newton's touching birthday tribute to Bert

<p>Patti Newton has shared a touching message to her late husband Bert Newton on what would've been his 86th birthday. </p> <p>The 79-year-old singer, actress and dancer shared a series of family photos on Instagram, with a special tribute to her husband. </p> <p>"To my darling Bert, Happy Birthday hope you're having a great time you have so many wonderful friends up there with you," Patti wrote alongside a photo of herself, her late husband and their grandchildren.</p> <p>"We all miss you every single day. Love you Mack xxx," she concluded, with a reference to the nickname he used to call her. </p> <p>She then shared a <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C9xNZyqzjkM/?hl=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">photo</a> of her and Bert holding each other's arms with the message: "Goodnight my darling, sweet dreams xx". </p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/C9w6-M5JKLJ/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C9w6-M5JKLJ/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Patti Newton (@pattinewtonofficial)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Fans took to the comments to share their birthday wishes to Bert and send their well-wishes to Patti.</p> <p>"Gorgeous photo Patti. Happy Heavenly Birthday to your darling Bert and the legend he always will be," wrote one fan. </p> <p>"Happy Birthday in the Sky to dear Bert- gosh he was FABULOUS!" added another. </p> <p>"Happy Heavenly Birthday to you Bert ❤️ lots of love to you Patti" wrote a third. </p> <p>Bert and Patti were married for 47 years until his death in 2021. </p> <p>They welcomed their son Matt Newton in 1977, three years after they got married and daughter Lauren Newton in 1979. </p> <p>They also have six grandchildren, Sam, Eva, Lola, Monty, Perla and Alby. </p> <p>Bert passed away in October 2021, aged 83 after a long battle with numerous illnesses and a few months after he had a leg amputation. </p> <p>Eighteen months after his death, Patti told <em>9honey</em>: "I'll never get over him not being here. I've got photographs everywhere and I have a chat with him most nights."</p> <p>"We had a wonderful relationship. We had ups and downs like everybody has, but we did have a fabulous marriage," she said.</p> <p>"We came together and we always had a laugh and I think that's probably what I miss the most."</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Missing couple found dead in stranded lifeboat

<p>A couple have been found dead in a lifeboat after attempting to sail across the Atlantic ocean. </p> <p>The bodies of Brit Sarah Packwood and her Canadian husband Brett Clibbery washed up in a boat on a beach in Nova Scotia over a month after they left Canada in a 12.8m eco-friendly yacht. </p> <p>The couple were heading to the Azores, a Portuguese archipelago in the mid-Atlantic.</p> <p>“Powered by the wind and sun. Heading east to the Azores. It’s probably the biggest adventure of our lives so far,” they said online, prior to their trip. </p> <p>Searches including by plane had been underway after the couple failed to arrive or communicate. </p> <p>Clibbery's son James announced the couple's deaths on Facebook.</p> <p>"There is still an investigation, as well as a DNA test to confirm, but with all the news, it is hard to remain hopeful," he wrote. </p> <p>"I am so very sorry to the people who were friends of them.</p> <p>"They were amazing people, and there isn't anything that will fill the hole that has been left by their, so far unexplained passing."</p> <p>It remains unclear how the couple got into trouble, but police in Halifax have launched an investigation into their deaths. </p> <p>One theory is that the small yacht was hit by a much larger ship. </p> <p>The couple had been living in Salt Spring Island in the southern Gulf Islands of British Columbia, and were documenting their travel adventures on Facebook and YouTube. </p> <p>On June 10 they posted a video saying they were heading on a "new adventure" from their home in Saltspring Island, British Columbia to Dartmouth Yacht Club, Nova Scotia.</p> <p>"All being well, and weather permitting the Captain and I intend to set sail in the next day or two for an ocean crossing," Packwood said.</p> <p>They were both experienced sailors, and the last video they shared was of them leaving Halifax on June 12. </p> <p>In the video, taken aboard the yacht, Clibbery said they could see "one big ship on the horizon which came out from Halifax, so they're out of our way. We're sailing."</p> <p><em>Images: Facebook</em></p> <p> </p>

Travel Trouble

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Missing 3-year-old found dead at Walt Disney World

<p>The body of a young boy has been found after he went missing from a resort near Walt Disney World in Florida on Thursday.</p> <p>Rakim Akbari, 3, was reported missing from the Sheraton Vistana Resort Villas at Lake Buena Vista earlier that day, after he had wandered away from the resort that morning. </p> <p>Authorities also said that Rakim had autism. </p> <p>The Orange County Sheriff sent out a missing child alert for the young boy before deputies located his body in the water at the resort on Thursday afternoon. </p> <p>“It is with heavy hearts that we must share that our deputies have found Rakim Akbari deceased in a body of water at the resort where he was reported missing this morning. Our detectives are still looking into how this tragedy occurred,” they shared on X. </p> <p>“We are grieving his loss, and our prayers are with his family,” they added. </p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">It is with heavy hearts that we must share that our deputies have found Rakim Akbari deceased in a body of water at the resort where he was reported missing this morning. Our detectives are still looking into how this tragedy occurred.</p> <p>We are grieving his loss, and our prayers… <a href="https://t.co/3huAOOo0u4">pic.twitter.com/3huAOOo0u4</a></p> <p>— Orange County Sheriff's Office (@OrangeCoSheriff) <a href="https://twitter.com/OrangeCoSheriff/status/1814027480782761996?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 18, 2024</a></p></blockquote> <p>They didn't provide further details, but the boy reportedly went missing while wearing pyjama pants and a shirt with no socks or shoes. </p> <p>People on X have also shared their condolences to the boy's family.</p> <p>"Deepest condolences to the family of this beautiful little boy. Prayers for the law enforcement that found him, it's hard for them to process as well," one said. </p> <p>"Heartbreaking. Prayers to his family and all who loved him," added another. </p> <p>"God bless his family. Rest in Peace," added another. </p> <p>"My heart goes out to the family," wrote a third. </p> <p><em>Image: X</em></p>

Caring

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Mummified body of missing climber found after 22 years

<p>Twenty-two years ago, William Stampfl and two of his friends went missing when an avalanche buried them as they made their way up one of the highest peaks in the Andes mountains in Peru. </p> <p>William's family had little hope of finding him alive, or even retrieving his corpse from thick layers of snow, but in June his daughter got an unexpected call. </p> <p>A stranger said he had come across the climber's frozen, but mostly intact body as he made his own way up the Huascaran peak. </p> <p>"It's been a shock" Jennifer Stampfl said. </p> <p>The 53-year-old added: "When you get that phone call that he's been found your heart just sinks. You don't know how exactly to feel at first."</p> <p>A group of policemen and mountain guides retrieved his body on Tuesday, putting it on a stretcher and slowly taking it down the icy mountain. </p> <p>His body was found at an altitude of 5200m, around a nine-hour hike from one of the camps where climbers stop when they are climbing the summit. </p> <p>William's body and clothing were preserved by the ice and freezing temperatures, with the driver's licence in his hip pouch used to identify him. </p> <p>Lenin Alvardo, one of the police officers who participated in the recovery operation, added that the hip pouch also contained a pair of sunglasses, a camera, a voice recorder and two decomposing $20 bills.</p> <p>William still had a gold wedding ring on his left hand.</p> <p>"I've never seen anything like that," Alvarado said.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="es"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/%C3%81ncash?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Áncash</a>🚨| ¡Rescatan cadáver en glaciar!<br />Agentes del Departamento de Alta Montaña, tras una intensa búsqueda ubicaron el cuerpo momificado y deshidratado de una persona NN en el nevado de <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Huascar%C3%A1n?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Huascarán</a>. Sus restos fueron internados a la morgue de <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Yungay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Yungay</a> para su identificación. <a href="https://t.co/WJGklwUwbp">pic.twitter.com/WJGklwUwbp</a></p> <p>— Policía Nacional del Perú (@PoliciaPeru) <a href="https://twitter.com/PoliciaPeru/status/1809394543512416721?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 6, 2024</a></p></blockquote> <p>The climber who found his body then called William's relatives, who then got in touch with local mountain guides. </p> <p>His daughter said that the family plans to move the body to a funeral home in Lima, where it can be cremated. </p> <p>"For 22 years, we just kind of put in our mind: 'This is the way it is. Dad's part of the mountain, and he's never coming home,'" she said.</p> <p>William was trying to climb Peru's highest peak with his friends Matthew Richardson and Steve Erskine in 2002. </p> <p>Erskine's body was found shortly after the avalanche, but Richardson's corpse is still missing.</p> <p>William's daughter said that a plaque in memory of the three friends was placed at the summit of Mount Baldy in Southern California, where the trio trained for their expeditions. </p> <p>She hopes to return to the site with her father's remains. </p> <p><em>Image: Peruvian National Police/ X </em></p>

Travel Trouble

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"No trace": Desperate search continues for Dr Michael Mosley

<p>The search for Dr Michael Mosley has ramped up after he disappeared while on holiday in the Greek islands. </p> <p>The British health expert, known for popularising intermittent fasting for weight loss, was on holiday with his family on the island of Symi when he seemingly vanished without a trace on Wednesday. </p> <p>Mosley, 67, set off on a hike along St Nicholas Beach on the island in the early afternoon but failed to return and was reported missing by his wife Dr Clare Bailey.</p> <p>The search for the doctor has now expanded, as Channel 7 reporter Mylee Hogan explained on <em>Sunrise</em> on Friday. </p> <p>“This morning the search has now expanded — they have called in crews from other islands to help,” Hogan said. “Those crews have come in on helicopter, they have drones, and dogs as well, to try to locate him."</p> <p>Authorities believe he may have been affected by the heat during his walk, as Hogan said, “They are working on the theory he may have been impacted by the heat and fallen.” </p> <p>“The area they’re searching where he was walking is only a 3km distance, but it is quite rugged, so they are trying to focus on that area (the walking track).”</p> <p>According to a report in the <em><a href="https://metro.co.uk/2024/06/06/tv-dr-michael-mosley-goes-missing-symi-greece-search-launched-20984105/?ico=top-stories_home_top" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-link-type="article-inline">UK’s Metro</a></em> news outlet, a resident claimed it was “impossible” to get lost on the island.</p> <p>Symi  Mayor Eleftherios Papakalodoukas reinforced the sentiment, telling <em>BBC News</em>, “It is a very small, controlled area, full of people. So if something happened to him there, we would have found him by now.”</p> <p>Senior police spokesperson Constantina Dimoglidou previously told the <em><a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13499989/Mail-columnist-Michael-Mosley-missing-Greece-Symi.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-link-type="article-inline">Daily Mail</a></em> that ongoing searches had so far been unsuccessful.</p> <p>“We have now asked the fire brigade to assist in the operation in case he may have slipped, tripped, fallen, or even bitten by a snake, remaining injured somewhere,” he said.</p> <p>“There is just no trace of him. None whatsoever and that means that for us at least, every potential scenario is being investigated.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock Editorial </em></p>

News

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Former missing person found dead at age 40

<p>A former missing girl has been found dead in Queensland, 24 years after she disappeared as a teenager. </p> <p>The body of Natasha Ryan, who was at the centre of one of Australia's most bizarre disappearances, was found on the Rockhampton Golf Course on Sunday, with police saying the circumstances of her death were not suspicious.</p> <p>The RACQ CapRescue chopper service had been searching for a reported missing person for several hours on Sunday when Ms Ryan's body was found, as statement from Queensland Police said emergency crews confirmed her death. </p> <p>“Police will prepare a report for the coroner following the sudden and non-suspicious death of a woman in Rockhampton,” it said.</p> <p>Ms Ryan first made headlines in 1998 when she was 14 years old, when she ran away from home to be with her 21-year-old boyfriend Scott Black. </p> <p>The teenager was presumed to have been murdered by serial killer and rapist Leonard John Fraser after the investigation into her disappearance turned up no leads. </p> <p>However, five years later after a tip off to police, she was found hiding in a cupboard at the home of Mr Black in central Queensland in 2003.</p> <p>She then became known nationwide as 'the girl in the cupboard'.</p> <p>In 2005, the pair stood trial on charges of falsely causing a police investigation, where Mr Black pleaded guilty to perjury for telling police he didn’t know where Ms Ryan was, and was jailed for 12 months. </p> <p>Ms Ryan was also found guilty of causing a false police investigation and fined $1,000.</p> <p>The couple later married and had four children. </p> <p><em>Image credits: 9News / 60 Minutes</em></p>

Caring

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Miss World Australia attacked outside shopping centre

<p>Miss World Australia has taken aim at the lack of police response after she called Triple Zero for urgent assistance when she was attacked. </p> <p>Jasmine Stringer was running a workshop with a group of aspiring young pageant contestants at a Gold Coast shopping centre on Friday night, when a woman lunged towards the group in a random attack.</p> <p>"This person was hurling abuse at the young girls and then charged at me from across the road and punched me straight in the face," Jasmine told <a href="https://9now.nine.com.au/today/miss-world-australia-and-children-attacked-during-gold-coast-shopping-centre-event/cf15799c-99e7-45ee-b143-519bcff1114f" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Today</em></a>.</p> <p>"I fended her off and then she turned her sights to a 14-year-old girl."</p> <p>While doing her best to protect herself and the young girls, Jasmine called Triple Zero for assistance.</p> <p>As the young girls fled from the scene, Jasmine waited for police - or members of the public - to help, and was met with no response.</p> <p>"I guess the most concerning part of this whole story for me is that I called Triple Zero, we are in the Southport CBD of the Gold Coast, less than three kilometres from the police station and in a 15-minute time frame when women and children are being assaulted, there was no one turning up to help," the 27-year-old said.</p> <p>"I stayed there for 20 minutes on the call with the dispatcher and I was starting to get stressed, this woman was still physically attacking these children as they're trying to get into cars and taxis and it was escalating and I asked 'is someone coming?' and they were quite dismissive to me."</p> <p>As part of her Miss World Australia advocacy work, Jasmine has devoted a lot of time and effort into preventing violence against women, and says this attack is the second time within a month that she's called for help from police after witnessing a violent incident and there's been nobody there to help.</p> <p>'I'm going to go to the police station today just make sure that the report is made and hopefully have the person who attacked us charged," she said.</p> <p>"But at this point in time, I've received no follow up from the police and it's been a really distressing situation."</p> <p><em>Image credits: Today </em></p>

Legal

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Tragic new details emerge over Aussie brothers missing in Mexico

<p>Authorities have recovered three bodies <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #202223; font-family: Montserrat, Helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">in the Baja California region of Mexico, </span><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">believed to be those of brothers Callum and Jake Robinson and their American friend who went missing while on a surfing trip. </span></p> <p><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">The Perth siblings and their American friend </span>Jack Carter Rhoad went missing last week after they failed to show up at their planned accommodations. </p> <p>Mexican Authorities believe that the brothers were attacked in a robbery gone wrong, and fought back, prompting gunfire from the alleged thieves. </p> <p>The three bodies had gunshots to the head, execution-style, and were found 10 metres down a well outside Santo Tomás about 2km away from what is believed to be the men's campsite.</p> <p>While officials are waiting for DNA results, they believe that there is a "very high probability that it is them". </p> <p>"They were in a state of decomposition. That is why we have to run the genetic tests," Baja California Attorney General Maria Elena Andrade Ramírez told <em>9News</em>.</p> <p>Police have also said that shell casings were found at the scene. </p> <p><a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/arrests-made-over-aussie-surfers-missing-in-mexico" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Two men and one woman</a> have been arrested in connection with the attempted robbery, after they were found in possession of methamphetamines and one of the missing men's phones.</p> <p>Ramírez also said evidence found along with the abandoned tents was linked to the three people being questioned about the missing foreigners.</p> <p> Local TV network Milenio reported that the suspects appeared to have stolen the surfers’ truck and some of its parts were found in another truck belonging to one of the suspects.</p> <p>"A working team (of investigators) is at the site where they were last seen, where tents and other evidence was found that could be linked to these three people we have under investigation," Ramírez said on Thursday.</p> <p>"There is a lot of important information that we can't make public."</p> <p>A fourth body was also found deeper down the well, but Ramirez confirmed that it had no connection to the investigation. </p> <p><em>Image: Nine</em></p>

Caring

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Arrests made over Aussie surfers missing in Mexico

<p>Police in Mexico have arrested two men and one woman in connection to the disappearance of two Aussie brothers who went missing while on a surfing trip. </p> <p>Jake and Callum Robinson, originally from Perth, were travelling with an American friend in Baja California in Mexico's north-west, near the city of Tijuana when they were last seen. </p> <p>The trio failed to check into their accommodation <span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">in the city of Rosarito, as their mother put sounded the alarm on social media to help find her boys. </span></p> <p class="paragraph_paragraph___QITb" style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 1rem; font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif;">"They have not contacted us since April 27 … they are travelling with another friend; an American citizen," she wrote on a local Baja Facebook group.</p> <p class="paragraph_paragraph___QITb" style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 1rem; font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif;">"Callum is a Type 1 diabetic so there is also a medical concern. Please contact me if you have seen them or know their whereabouts."</p> <p class="paragraph_paragraph___QITb" style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 1rem; font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif;">In the days after news of their disappearance broke, Baja California Attorney-General María Elena Andrade Ramírez has confirmed that three people have been arrested in connection to the case.</p> <p class="paragraph_paragraph___QITb" style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 1rem; font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif;">A 23-year-old woman was arrested along with two men, as one of the brother's mobile phones was found in the woman's possession. </p> <p class="paragraph_paragraph___QITb" style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 1rem; font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif;">"That is actually how [the three people] were found," local journalist Oliver Quintero told <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-05-03/missing-surfers-jake-callum-robinson-mexico/103799272" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>ABC Radio Perth</em></a>.</p> <p class="paragraph_paragraph___QITb" style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 1rem; font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif;">"The police were able to track the GPS on one of the phones and that's how they got the lady – she was the one who had the phone and was with the other two gentlemen."</p> <p class="paragraph_paragraph___QITb" style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 1rem; font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif;">The car the trio had been travelling in was also found burnt out on a ranch south of the city of Ensenada, where they had been camping out close to a popular surfing spot. </p> <p class="paragraph_paragraph___QITb" style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 1rem; font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif;">Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he was hopeful a local search would result in a positive outcome.</p> <p class="paragraph_paragraph___QITb" style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 1rem; font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif;">"We certainly hope these brothers are found safely but there is real concern about the fact that they've gone missing," he said.</p> <p class="paragraph_paragraph___QITb" style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 1rem; font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif;">While Baja California is one of the most dangerous areas of Mexico due to organised crime and rampant presence of drug cartels, there is no evidence that the brothers' disappearance is linked to organised crime.</p> <p class="paragraph_paragraph___QITb" style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 1rem; font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif;"><em>Image credits: Facebook </em></p>

Caring

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Huge reward to help solve cold case of missing mum

<p>Police are offering a $500,000 reward for information to help solve a cold case that suspect was a murder. </p> <p>Tammy Lisa Dyson, also known as Tamela Menzies, was 23 when went missing from the Currumbin area in 1995. </p> <p>The mother of two was picked up from a drug rehab clinic by a woman claiming to be her sister on July 20, 1995 and has not been seen since. </p> <p>Dyson was born and raised in Victoria before moving to Brisbane in 1988, where she worked in the adult entertainment industry under the nickname "Pebbles". </p> <p>Police believe she began mixing with criminals and using drugs while working in strip clubs on the Gold Coast.</p> <p>In early 1995 Dyson arranged for her young sons, Jyles and Rainey, to stay with their grandmother in Victoria temporarily.</p> <p>A few months later she made a distressed call to her sister Olivia, who said she had been assaulted. </p> <p>Olivia and her partner then dropped Dyson off to a drug rehabilitation centre at Currumbin on the Gold Coast, and on July 20, 1995 she was picked up by someone claiming to be her sister. </p> <p>The following day, Tammy completed a statutory declaration signed by a Justice of the Peace in Tweed Heads, giving custody of her children and her possessions to her mother.</p> <p>She also called her sister one last time, with Olivia recalling that Tammy "didn't sound like herself" and she had mentioned underworld figures. </p> <p>Police have received a number of reported sightings of Tammy since 1995 but all proof of life inquiries have  been proven negative.</p> <p>In 2012, the Queensland coroner said that they believed Tammy was deceased and indicated that she may have been a victim of violence, although a certain date, time and cause of death have not been determined. </p> <p>Police are now offering the huge reward for new information and immunity from prosecution for any accomplice who comes forward.</p> <p>"Tammy associated with criminals that were known to police and vanished without a trace after giving custody of her children and possessions to her mother; we believe the circumstances of her disappearance is suspicious," Detective Senior Sergeant Tara Kentwell said.</p> <p>On Wednesday, her sons, who were only three and one when their mother disappeared, made an emotional appeal for public help to find her. </p> <p>"Growing up without mum and not knowing what happened to her has been very hard," Jyles Lebler said through tears during a media conference. </p> <p>"Whoever has picked her up, I'm not saying they have done something but they must know something bad has happened."</p> <p>"We hope we find out what to mum to give grandma some closure before it's too late," Rainey added.</p> <p><em>Images: Queensland Police</em></p>

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"I miss her hugs": British acting legend shares heartbreaking loss

<p>Actor Warwick Davis has shared the heartbreaking news of his wife's death. </p> <p>The actor, known for his roles in <em>Harry Potter</em> and <em>Star Wars</em>, took to social media to share the news of his wife Samantha's death, who passed away at the age of 53. </p> <p>“Her passing has left a huge hole in our lives as a family. I miss her hugs”, Warwick, 54, said.</p> <p>He added, “She was a unique character, always seeing the sunny side of life she had a wicked sense of humour and always laughed at my bad jokes.</p> <p>“Without Sammy, there would have been no Tenable quiz show, no Willow series. No Idiot Abroad Series 3.”</p> <p>Warwick said Samantha was his “most trusted confidant and an ardent supporter of everything I did in my career”.</p> <p>The couple’s children, Harrison and Annabelle, added, “Mum is our best friend and we’re honoured to have received a love like hers</p> <p>“Her love and happiness carried us through our whole lives”.</p> <p>Warwick and Samantha met on the set of the movie Willow in 1988 and got married three years later. </p> <p>Samantha had achondroplasia, a bone growth disorder that causes disproportionate dwarfism.</p> <p>Warwick has previously opened up about his wife’s health after she was rushed to hospital with sepsis in 2018, and had to undergo several different surgeries to stabilise her condition. </p> <p>Warwick, co-founder of charity Little People UK, has often spoken out about the health battles related to his condition, as well his wife’s.</p> <p>He was born with Spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenita (SED), an extremely rare genetic form of dwarfism, which has been inherited by both their daughter Annabelle and son Harrison.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images </em></p>

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"I miss my bestie": New appeal after Molly's family left in the dark

<p>Peggy and Ruby, the inseparable pet dogs, and their feathered friend the illustrious Molly the Magpie, are back in the news again – this time for being "snubbed" by the Queensland Premier.</p> <p>After <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/family-pets/outcry-after-authorities-seize-internet-famous-magpie-from-queensland-family" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wildlife officials swooped in</a> and plucked Molly from her cozy abode, leaving Peggy and Ruby in a state of mourning, the Gold Coast community erupted into chaos, with cries of injustice echoing through the streets.</p> <p>Even the Queensland Premier Steven Miles couldn't resist dipping his toes into the avian drama, promising to right the perceived wrong and reunite the trio.</p> <p>“I’m most interested in what is in the best interests of the animal and if the department can work with the family to reunite them in a way that is legal, I would support them,” Premier Miles said. “I know they take their responsibilities under the law very seriously, but I think in these circumstances there’s room for some flexibility. I sometimes think common sense needs to prevail. I hope my support for that campaign can get Molly back home.”</p> <p>But as time passes and emails go unanswered, the hopes of the trio have dwindled like a deflating balloon at a child's birthday party, prompting the pets' owner, Juliette Wells, to release a further appeal on poor Ruby's behalf:</p> <p>"Ruby is disappointed," reads the post on Instagram. "She says, 'What is taking soo long? MR QLD STEVEN MILES said he was going to help bring Molly home but he’s not answering my emails or phone calls. I don’t understand why?</p> <p>'If he does get back to me I’m going to tell him WOOF I’m NOT Happy, I miss my bestie & think about him everyday 🥹🐶🐾'</p> <p>Wells then goes on to call for further action. "We are all getting to this point 😕," she writes. "We need to keep pushing forward keep the emails rolling . . ." </p> <p>But then Wells is very careful to instruct fans as to the tone they should adopt: "<span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">** NO AGGRESSION. Be kind - remember what these 3 best friends have shown the world Love & acceptance in differences. We all have differences in opinions let’s just voice them in a positive way for this Famous Magpie Molly **"</span></p> <p>Calls for action from fans and followers was immediate and resolute, with one fan writing "protest needs to be organised ❤️ all we want to see is for three friends to be reunited ❤️ If they really cared about Molly as they say they wouldn’t let him suffer like that he must be sad without his friends 😢."</p> <p>Another, dramatically, went one step further: "I’ve just put a call in to a friend on the opposition party to your premier- she’s going to see what she can do xxx🤞🏽🤞🏽🤞🏽🌈🌈🌈."</p> <p><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;"> </span></p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C5h8zoJpmN4/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C5h8zoJpmN4/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Peggyandmolly (@peggyandmolly)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

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Sad end in search for missing Yellowstone actor

<p>The entertainment industry is mourning the loss of actor Cole Brings Plenty, known for his roles in various Western dramas, including a spin-off of the immensely popular television series <em>Yellowstone</em>.</p> <p>The news of his demise surfaced after a distressing sequence of events unfolded in Kansas, where Brings Plenty was found dead after being reported missing amidst a domestic violence investigation.</p> <p>Authorities from the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office confirmed on Friday the discovery of Brings Plenty's body in a wooded area. This revelation came in the wake of escalating concerns when the actor went missing amid a cloud of suspicion regarding a domestic violence incident.</p> <p>The circumstances surrounding Brings Plenty's death remain shrouded in mystery, as law enforcement officials have refrained from disclosing any details regarding the cause of death. However, the tragic saga began to unfold days prior when Brings Plenty found himself entangled in legal troubles.</p> <p>Reports indicate that Brings Plenty was charged in a nearby county with aggravated burglary, domestic battery and criminal restraint, prompting an arrest warrant against him. The series of events culminated when authorities responded to a distress call from an apartment in Lawrence, where a woman was heard screaming for help. However, by the time law enforcement arrived at the scene, Brings Plenty had already departed.</p> <p>The gravity of the situation escalated when Brings Plenty failed to attend a crucial audition for an upcoming film project scheduled over Zoom. </p> <p>Amid the turmoil, expressions of sorrow and condolence flooded in from all corners. Joe Brings Plenty Sr, the actor's father, expressed gratitude for the outpouring of support and prayers from well-wishers. "I learned this week how many people knew the goodness in Cole’s heart and loved him," he said in a statement released on Friday.</p> <p>Cole Brings Plenty, aged 27, left an indelible mark on the entertainment landscape with his appearances in several Western dramas. Notably, he graced the screen in two episodes of <em>1923</em>, a Paramount+ series starring veteran actor Harrison Ford, which serves as a prequel to the widely acclaimed <em>Yellowstone</em>. Additionally, Brings Plenty showcased his talent in other Western productions, including <em>Into the Wild Frontier</em> and <em>The Tall Tales of Jim Bridger</em>.</p> <p><em>Image: Instagram</em></p>

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Commonwealth Games medallist pleas for missing daughter

<p>A Commonwealth Games medallist has issued an emotional plea for information on the whereabouts of his 15-year-old daughter. </p> <p>Marty Jackson's daughter Marlie was last seen in Port Melbourne four days ago, although she usually lives with her dad in Geelong. </p> <p>He believed Marlie had been in contact with friends, but her family had been "unable to make contact" with the teen. </p> <p>In an emotional post to Facebook, Marty asked his friends and family for any updates on his daughter's whereabouts.</p> <p>"If you hear from her or have any information that could held bring her home it would be greatly appreciated," he wrote, before adding, "Marlie is 15yo, approx 163cm tall with long strawberry blonde hair."</p> <p>He concluded by stating her disappearance had been reported to Geelong Police Station.</p> <p>Marty's post was flooded with comments from loved ones and strangers alike sending their well wishes for Marlie, and their hopes that she return home safely. </p> <p>Marty later updated the post to say Marlie had been in contact over the phone, but he was still concerned for her safety and adding that he "just wants her home".</p> <p>Marty Jackson is a para-athlete who won silver in shotput at the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Facebook</em></p>

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New update in search for Samantha Murphy's body

<p>A fresh search for Samantha Murphy's body has begun, with police targeting their search in areas “highlighted by intelligence” from several sources. </p> <p>The 51-year-old Ballarat mum, was allegedly murdered by 22-year-old Patrick Orren Stephenson, after she went missing while on a morning run near her home on February 4. </p> <p>Officers will begin their renewed search for the mum's remains on select parts of the Buninyong Bushland Reserve on Wednesday. </p> <p>The search will be conducted by specialist units including  the Missing Persons Squad, Search and Rescue Squad, Mounted Branch, Dog Squad, Public Order Response Team and motorcyclists from Road Policing Command as well as local police. </p> <p>“Since Samantha’s disappearance, extensive searches have been conducted in the Ballarat area and today we will focus on an area of bushland in Buninyong,” Detective Superintendent Mark Hatt said.</p> <p>Victoria Police said that the search would “focus on trying to locate Samantha’s body” and members of the public have been urged to not join the search efforts. </p> <p>“We will have a range of specialist resources involved, however as we are searching for Samantha’s body, we ask that members of the public do not try and join today’s search," the detective added. </p> <p>“Hopefully today’s search will benefit the investigation or provide further avenues of enquiry for police. We will also look at further searches in the Ballarat area as the investigation progresses.”</p> <p>He added that police are doing everything they can to find her body. </p> <p>“While someone has been charged in relation to Samantha’s disappearance, we remain committed to doing everything we can to locate her and return her to her family,” Detective Superintendent Hatt said. </p> <p>Patrick Orren Stephenson was <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/new-details-emerge-in-samantha-murphy-murder-charge" target="_blank" rel="noopener">charged</a> with Murphy's murder on March 6 and was refused bail at the Ballarat Magistrate’s Court. </p> <p>Police allege that the son of former AFL player Orren Stephenson killed Murphy in a “deliberate attack”. </p> <p>His identity was initially suppressed by the court out of fears for his safety, but the order was challenged by the media, and his <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/everything-we-know-about-samantha-murphy-s-accused-killer" target="_blank" rel="noopener">identity</a> was revealed days later. </p> <p>He is due to face court on August 8. </p> <p><em>Image: news.com.au</em></p>

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Man arrested in search for Samantha Murphy

<p>A man has been arrested in connection with the disappearance of Ballarat mum Samantha Murphy. </p> <p>Missing Persons Squad detectives have detained the 22-year-old man at his home in Ballarat shortly after 6am on Wednesday. </p> <p>“He remains in custody, however no charges have been laid at this time,” Victoria Police said in a statement. </p> <p>The mum was last seen leaving her home at around 7am on Sunday, February 4, to go for her usual morning run.</p> <p>Multiple searches have been conducted by <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/family-pets/new-development-in-search-for-samantha-murphy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">authorities</a> and <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/experienced-bush-tracker-to-join-in-search-for-samantha-murphy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">specialists</a> over the past month, but they have yet to find her. </p> <p>Detectives are continuing to appeal for anyone who has CCTV or dash-cam footage that have yet to speak to police to come forward. </p> <p><em>More to come...</em></p> <p>Images: Facebook</p>

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MH370 disappearance 10 years on: can we still find it

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/charitha-pattiaratchi-110101">Charitha Pattiaratchi</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-western-australia-1067">The University of Western Australia</a></em></p> <p>It has been ten years since Malaysia Airlines passenger flight MH370 <a href="https://theconversation.com/lessons-to-learn-despite-another-report-on-missing-flight-mh370-and-still-no-explanation-100764">disappeared on March 8 2014</a>. To this day it remains one of the biggest aviation mysteries globally.</p> <p>It’s unthinkable that a modern Boeing 777-200ER jetliner with 239 people on board can simply vanish without any explanation. Yet multiple searches in the past decade have still not yielded the main wreckage or the bodies of the victims.</p> <p>At a remembrance event held earlier this week, the Malaysian transport minister announced <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/malaysia-says-mh370-search-must-go-10-years-after-plane-vanished-2024-03-03/">a renewed push for another search</a>.</p> <p>If approved by the Malaysian government, the survey will be conducted by United States seabed exploration firm Ocean Infinity, whose efforts were unsuccessful in 2018.</p> <h2>What happened to MH370?</h2> <p>The flight was scheduled to fly from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. Air traffic control lost contact with the aircraft within 60 minutes into the flight over the South China Sea.</p> <p>Subsequently, it was tracked by military radar crossing the Malay Peninsula and was last located by radar over the Andaman Sea in the northeastern Indian Ocean.</p> <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/579774/original/file-20240305-18-vdbysn.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/579774/original/file-20240305-18-vdbysn.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/579774/original/file-20240305-18-vdbysn.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=375&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/579774/original/file-20240305-18-vdbysn.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=375&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/579774/original/file-20240305-18-vdbysn.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=375&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/579774/original/file-20240305-18-vdbysn.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=471&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/579774/original/file-20240305-18-vdbysn.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=471&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/579774/original/file-20240305-18-vdbysn.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=471&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" alt="A map of the region showing the initial search areas on 8-16 March." /></a><figcaption><span class="caption">The planned route, final route and initial search area for MH370 in Southeast Asia.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_Malaysia_Airlines_Flight_370#/media/File:MH370_initial_search_Southeast_Asia.svg">Andrew Heenen/Wikimedia Commons</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span></figcaption></figure> <p>Later, automated satellite communications between the aircraft and British firm’s Inmarsat telecommunications satellite indicated that the plane ended up in the southeast Indian Ocean <a href="https://hub.arcgis.com/datasets/4c94d33cfc144f7d8b78943dee56e29b/explore">along the 7th arc</a> (an arc is a series of coordinates).</p> <p>This became the basis for defining the initial search areas by the Australian Air Transport Safety Bureau. Initial air searches were conducted in the South China Sea and the Andaman Sea.</p> <p>To date, we still don’t know what caused the aircraft’s change of course and disappearance.</p> <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/579749/original/file-20240305-25-p456o1.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/579749/original/file-20240305-25-p456o1.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/579749/original/file-20240305-25-p456o1.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=338&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/579749/original/file-20240305-25-p456o1.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=338&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/579749/original/file-20240305-25-p456o1.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=338&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/579749/original/file-20240305-25-p456o1.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=424&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/579749/original/file-20240305-25-p456o1.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=424&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/579749/original/file-20240305-25-p456o1.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=424&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /></a><figcaption><span class="caption">Location of the 7th arc and the origin of debris locations for simulations undertaken by the University of Western Australia.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Google Earth/Author provided</span></span></figcaption></figure> <h2>What have searches for MH370 found so far?</h2> <p>On March 18 2014, ten days after the disappearance of MH370, a search in the southern Indian Ocean <a href="https://www.atsb.gov.au/publications/2014/considerations-on-defining-the-search-area-mh370">was led by Australia</a>, with participation of aircraft from several countries. This search continued until April 28 and covered an area of 4,500,000 square kilometres of ocean. No debris was found.</p> <p>Two underwater searches of the Indian Ocean, 2,800km off the coast of Western Australia, have also failed to find any evidence of the main crash site.</p> <p>The initial seabed search, led by Australia, covered 120,000 square kilometres and extended 50 nautical miles across the 7th arc. It took 1,046 days and was suspended on January 17 2017.</p> <p>A second search by Ocean Infinity in 2018 <a href="https://oceaninfinity.com/conclusion-of-current-search-for-malaysian-airlines-flight-mh370/">covered over 112,000 square kilometres</a>. It was completed in just over three months but also didn’t locate the wreckage.</p> <h2>What about debris?</h2> <p>While the main crash site still hasn’t been found, several pieces of debris have washed up in the years since the flight’s disappearance.</p> <p>In fact, in June 2015 officials from the Australian Air Transport Safety Bureau determined that debris might arrive in Sumatra, contrary to the ocean currents in the region.</p> <p>The strongest current in the Indian Ocean is the South Equatorial Current. It flows east to west between northern Australia and Madagascar, and debris would be able to cross it.</p> <p>Indeed, on July 30 2015 a large piece of debris – a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flaperon">flaperon</a> (moving part of a plane wing) – washed up on Reunion Island in the western Indian Ocean. It was later confirmed to belong to MH370.</p> <p>Twelve months earlier, using an oceanographic drift model, our University of Western Australia (UWA) modelling team had predicted that any debris originating from the 7th arc would end up in the western Indian Ocean.</p> <p>In subsequent months, additional aircraft debris was found in the western Indian Ocean in Mauritius, Tanzania, Rodrigues, Madagascar, Mozambique and South Africa.</p> <p>The UWA drift analysis accurately predicted where floating debris from MH370 would beach in the western Indian Ocean. It also guided American adventurer Blaine Gibson and others to directly recover several dozen pieces of debris, three of which <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/where-blaine-gibson-now-malaysia-airlines-mh370-debris-hunter-1787369">have been confirmed</a> to be from MH370, while several others <a href="https://www.airlineratings.com/news/mh370-debris-now-for-the-facts/">are deemed likely</a>.</p> <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/579756/original/file-20240305-22-q62h9n.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/579756/original/file-20240305-22-q62h9n.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/579756/original/file-20240305-22-q62h9n.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=602&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/579756/original/file-20240305-22-q62h9n.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=602&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/579756/original/file-20240305-22-q62h9n.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=602&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/579756/original/file-20240305-22-q62h9n.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=757&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/579756/original/file-20240305-22-q62h9n.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=757&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/579756/original/file-20240305-22-q62h9n.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=757&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" alt="A detailed satellite map showing locations of debris found on the shores of Africa and Madagascar." /></a><figcaption><span class="caption">Predicted locations of landfall from results of University of Western Australia drift modelling. The white dots indicate predicted landfall of the debris. The aggregation of many dots, particularly close to land, is an indication of the density of particles – higher probability of debris making landfall. These are highlighted by red circles.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Charitha Pattiaratchi/UWA, Author provided</span></span></figcaption></figure> <p>To date, these debris finds in the western Indian ocean are the only physical evidence found related to MH370.</p> <p>It is also independent verification that the crash occurred close to the 7th arc, as any debris would initially flow northwards and then to the west, transported by the prevailing ocean currents. These results are consistent with other drift studies undertaken by independent researchers globally.</p> <h2>Why a new search for MH370 now?</h2> <p>Unfortunately, the ocean is a chaotic place, and even oceanographic drift models cannot pinpoint the exact location of the crash site.</p> <p>The proposed new search by Ocean Infinity has significantly narrowed down the target area within latitudes 36°S and 33°S. This is approximately 50km to the south of the locations where UWA modelling indicated the release of debris along the 7th arc. If the search does not locate the wreckage, it could be extended north.</p> <p>Since the initial underwater searches, technology has tremendously improved. Ocean Infinity is using a fleet of autonomous underwater vehicles with improved resolution. The proposed search will also use remotely controlled surface vessels.</p> <p>In the area where the search is to take place, the ocean is around 4,000 metres deep. The water temperatures are 1–2°C, with low currents. This means that even after ten years, the debris field would be relatively intact.</p> <p>Therefore, there is a high probability that the wreckage can still be found. If a future search is successful, this would bring closure not just to the families of those who perished, but also the thousands of people who have been involved in the search efforts.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/224954/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/charitha-pattiaratchi-110101"><em>Charitha Pattiaratchi</em></a><em>, Professor of Coastal Oceanography, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-western-australia-1067">The University of Western Australia</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images </em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/mh370-disappearance-10-years-on-can-we-still-find-it-224954">original article</a>.</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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Mistake in email causes Virgin Australia passenger to miss flight

<p>A Virgin Australia passenger was left $800 out of pocket after he arrived at a closed check-in desk despite arriving well before the departure time, and he now believes that it's because of a mistake in the email he received from the airline. </p> <p>Max Cameron, 64, flies several times a week between Launceston airport in Tasmania and Melbourne for work, and received an email from the airline saying his flight was delayed back in January. </p> <p>"I got a text and an email from Virgin saying, very sorry to let you know your plane has been delayed by 45 minutes,"  he told <em>Yahoo News Australia</em>. </p> <p>The email also read "Check-in will now close 30 minutes prior to this time."</p> <p>"I thought, well done Virgin. You've come through… you've let me know when I have to be there. And as a result, I got out to the airport at 9:25pm for a 9:45pm closure of check-in," Cameron said. </p> <p>However when he arrived there was "literally not one person in the Virgin terminal,"  so he eventually had to leave, with no choice but to buy another flight ticket which cost him $800 including extra accommodation and transport costs. </p> <p>"I put my tail between the legs, went back and bought another ticket. I was very annoyed about that but I had no choice... check-in closed early," he said.</p> <p>After submitting an enquiry to the customer service team, they told him he had to arrive 30 minutes before the <em>original</em> departure time - a different instruction to what he received in the email, with the revised departure time. </p> <p>At the time, the enquiry was closed and the team said he would not receive any compensation. </p> <p>Cameron, who was unsatisfied with the response, then spoke to a supervisor at the airport, who told him: "Oh my God, it looks like they sent you the wrong email".</p> <p>According to Yahoo News Australia, Cameron reportedly did receive incorrect information which led him to miss his flight. </p> <p>Cameron has since been in touch with the airline and hopes to be reimbursed, but remains "unhappy" after what he had to go through. </p> <p>"It's not the money but the lack of accountability... there is no service mentality anymore," he said.</p> <p>"What Virgin has done to me is just so wrong".</p> <p><em style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #323338; font-family: Figtree, Roboto, 'Noto Sans Hebrew', 'Noto Kufi Arabic', 'Noto Sans JP', sans-serif; background-color: #ffffff; outline: none !important;">Images: Yahoo News / Getty</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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How Samantha Murphy's digital data could be a crucial clue

<p>Last Friday, Victoria Police revisited the Mount Clear area after extracting information from her mobile phone data, as they continue to investigate the Ballarat mum's disappearance. </p> <p>Now, Former Australia Federal Police officer and professor of cybersecurity, Nigel Phair believes an "anomaly" or "change in the behaviour" of Murphy's data pattern may have prompted authorities to return to the area. </p> <p>Detectives have previously said that Murphy departed her residence and ran approximately 7km through Woowookarung Regional Park with data tracking her last location as Mount Clear. </p> <p>Phair who formerly headed investigations at the Australian High Tech Crime Centre (AHTCC), said that data from her iPhone and Apple Watch is particularly important as both devices constantly log her GPS coordinates, heart rate, altitude and can even detect falls among other biometric information. </p> <p>"From the second that she walked out of her door, when out on the street, they would be able to see where she was moving and how she was moving," Phair told told Liz Hayes on Channel 9's series <em>Under Investigation</em>. </p> <p>Additionally, her iPhone can be precisely located using triangulation from nearby cell phone towers. </p> <p>Phair said that this type of data is extremely reliable and accurate, and he believes that the disturbance in this data the 7km mark, where it stopped tracking the information, reveals some form of sophistication. </p> <p>"That means someone's done something active against those two devices and you have to know what you are doing to think I'm going to completely take these out," he said. </p> <p>"It's not just turning them off, it's destroying them and then getting rid of that piece of evidence."</p> <p>He added that tampering with these devices are particularly hard, because even if they may attempt to change SIM cards, mobile phones that are still on can still be traced. </p> <p>"A device has two signifiers. It has a phone number, which you can change, call that the software signifier," he said.</p> <p>"Then it has a hardware identifier, which is the IMEI number." </p> <p>He said that police would be notified if the IMEI number was still operational. </p> <p>"Regardless if you swap SIMs or don't use a SIM at all and just use it as a Wi-Fi-only device in a Wi-Fi area, it will always broadcast that IME number onto the network," he said. </p> <p>Phair said that it is "highly likely" that police have the data on potential predators and are tracking them, as they can see whether someone else was using a device in the Mount Clear area the day Murphy disappeared. </p> <p>Former Victorian detective Damian Marrett told Hayes the he believes Murphy's disappearance is the result of foul play, as changes in her digital data could suggest it was a "targeted attack". </p> <p>He also added that if anyone else had access to her Find My iPhone app or any of her other data, they could easily track her using this information. </p> <p>"Somebody who intimately knew the tracks that she takes or had access to be able to track her runs," he said.</p> <p>"So she could have been tracked without those people having to physically surveil her."</p> <p><em>Images: Under Investigation/ Facebook</em></p> <p> </p>

Legal

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Experts shed new light on Samantha Murphy case

<p>A panel of experts have shed new light on the case of missing mum Samantha Murphy. </p> <p>The mother-of-three went missing on February 4 after going for her usual morning run in a local park in Ballarat. </p> <p>Despite major search efforts from the missing persons squad, specialists and the local Ballarat community, she has still not been found, and now a panel of experts have gathered to discuss the possibilities of what could've happened to Murphy. </p> <p>Former Victorian detective Damian Marrett, criminal psychologist Dr Peter Ashkar, missing persons specialist Valentine Smith and cyber expert Nigel Phair discussed a number of different scenarios in Channel Nine's show <em>Under Investigation </em>on Wednesday night. </p> <p>“The idea that Samantha has actually wilfully left the family is just unfathomable and just implausible to me,” Dr Ashkar said. </p> <p>Presenter Liz Hayes, who spoke to mine shaft explorer Raymond Shaw said that there's a possibility Murphy's body has been buried in one of the abandoned mine shafts around Ballarat. </p> <p>“I think there could be anywhere between 4000 and 5000 gold mines just underneath the town," Shaw told Hayes. </p> <p>The panel agreed that the most likely scenario was that Murphy’s body had been dumped in a mineshaft after meeting with foul play, as they believe that there was "no way" Murphy fell down a mineshaft by accident, as the locals all know how to navigate the terrain. </p> <p>“They could be a great place to conceal a body or a crime after the fact … and you’d probably never find it,” Marrett said. </p> <p>Dr Ashkar added that the absence of any trace of Murphy could point to her having been attacked by a “psychopathic predator … who would know that area, like the back of their hand”.</p> <p>The panel also considered a potential new clue, the possible sighting of a damaged vehicle, which was alluded to in a <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/major-development-in-search-for-samantha-murphy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">police statement </a>requesting for new information about the case. </p> <p>The experts said that if there was a damaged car in the area, it could mean that Murphy was kidnapped at the 7km point of her run and could still be alive. </p> <p>“I would still like to believe the very real possibility that it’s a kidnapping and she’s still alive,” Dr Ashkar said. </p> <p>“That’s my hope. But I absolutely feel that whoever has taken her and abducted, they are very systematic and organised and knew very well what they were doing.”</p> <p>Marrett added that the police’s interest in the damaged car was significant.</p> <p>“They didn’t just say a car, they said a damaged car, it’s so specific,” he said.</p> <p>“So was that damage caused with this incident or was that damage because someone saw a damaged car leave?”</p> <p><em>Image: Nine / Facebook</em></p>

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