‘Miracle' as lost surfer washes up on remote island eight miles from shore
His family had raised the alarm early that evening, when Darcy Deefholts, 19, failed to come back for dinner — an out-of-character absence.
An air and sea search was launched but called off soon after midnight as fears grew that Deefholts had drowned or been taken by one of the numerous great white sharks that have killed five surfers in the area over the past decade.
Hope was fading. Deefholts' father, Terry, admitted he had been 'thinking the absolute worst'. 'I didn't give up hope, but jeez I was close,' he later said.
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Daily Mail
40 minutes ago
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Tragic last moments of the twisted banking executive who plunged to his death after he was arrested for underage sex
Chris McCann's descent into disgrace was so swift and complete, he could see no escape from his sudden shame and jumped to his death while visiting a national park in Queensland. Two weeks ago, the 50-year-old was an anonymous Commonwealth Bank executive living quietly with his wife and two sons at Curl Curl on Sydney's northern beaches. McCann's world imploded when he was arrested at Sydney Airport and faced Central Local Court on July 9 charged with procuring a child for sex at a Brisbane hotel. Queensland Police had been investigating McCann for two months and successfully sought his extradition, which saw his alleged crime make national headlines. He was granted bail at Brisbane Magistrates Court on Monday to live with a friend in the Gold Coast hinterland, but just two days later McCann was dead. McCann's body was found on Wednesday afternoon at Springbrook, a popular spot for bushwalkers to hike through lush rainforest and take photographs from scenic lookouts. Tourists who were in the vicinity when McCann leapt to his death witnessed police cars and an ambulance speed past them as they made their way back to their holiday homes. McCann had been the Commonwealth Bank's head of health and social infrastructure for its major client group in Sydney for the past 11 months. Chris McCann's descent into disgrace was so swift and complete, he seemed to see no way back to his former life and jumped to his death in a national park McCann's body was found on Wednesday afternoon in Springbrook National Park (above), a popular spot for bushwalkers to hike through lush rainforest and visit scenic lookouts Before that, he had worked for ANZ and Westpac during a career in corporate finance spanning more than 20 years. A spokesman for the Commonwealth Bank declined to comment on McCann 'given the tragic circumstances of this week', but it was revealed in court on Monday he had been sacked since his arrest. 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Police alleged McCann used 18-year-old Brisbane sex worker Shauntelle Elizabeth Went (above) to procure two girls aged 14 and 15 while he was in Brisbane on May 15. Until two weeks ago McCann (above) was an anonymous 50-year-old Commonwealth Bank executive living on Sydney 's northern beaches at Curl Curl with his wife and two children 'He lives in NSW,' the prosecutor said. 'He is a flight risk. He has financial capacity from his previous employment.' Magistrate Louise Shepherd said the allegation against McCann was 'terribly serious'. 'You travelled interstate frequently,' Ms Shepherd told McCann. 'You formed some kind of connection with [Went]. On May 14, police intercepted messages between you and her. 'The allegation is you... queried her about whether she had younger friends that she worked with.' Ms Shepherd also noted McCann would not necessarily serve any time in custody if convicted and granted him bail on strict conditions. 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'A report will be prepared for the Coroner following the non-suspicious death of a man at Springbrook yesterday,' a Queensland Police spokeswoman said. If you or someone you know needs confidential support, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636.
Daily Mail
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Daily Mail
6 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Discovered vehicle could help solve 25-year-old cold case
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