Add Category
A British backpacker missing in the Brisbane River had been drinking with three other tourists before they decided to jump off the William Jolly Bridge for a "bit of a fun", police say.
Authorities were still hoping to find the 30-year-old man alive as they searched the river on Monday morning, more than 12 hours after he was last seen at 10.30pm.
The incident sparked a warning from Brisbane regional duty officer Inspector Sean Cryer for locals and tourists to avoid the dangerous but relatively common practice.
Police are searching the Brisbane River after a man was last seen jumping off the William Jolly Bridge. Photo: Seven News
He said police logs recorded bridge-jumping incidents on the William Jolly about once a month.
Advertisement
"I think you'll find there's probably been people jumping off that bridge ever since they built it," he said.
"It's just a sad thing that people do sometimes and sometimes they live and sometimes they die."
Brisbane regional duty officer Inspector Sean Cryer speaks to the media about the search and rescue operation for the missing backpacker. Photo: Jorge Branco
Inspector Cryer said the four men hatched the plan to jump off the bridge while drinking at a nearby backpackers.
Police contacted the missing man's British parents overnight but were yet to release his name as they door-knocked homes and businesses looking for relations based in Brisbane.
"They had agreed between themselves that they were going to jump off the bridge for a bit of fun and to cool down," he said.
There has been no sign of the British man, hours after his jump on Sunday night. Photo: Nine News
"The young man in question, a 30-year-old British national, jumped off the bridge first.
"The other three guys said that he took a running jump from three or four metres away, jumped over the rail and went under the water."
The man rolled on his side and was seen one more time above water but had not been recovered on Monday morning despite the best efforts of his friends, police, water police, the Sandgate Volunteer Marine Rescue and the Queensland Government Rescue 500 helicopter crew.