UPDATE @ 3.30PM, Monday, January 20 2025 | Police have located a body in the search for a much-loved pastor missing in floodwaters in northern New South Wales.
William Strickland was attempting to cross a flooded causeway at Limpinwood west of Murwillumbah on Saturday night after attending a property for a wedding rehearsal.
However, his Toyota Hilux was washed downstream sparking a major search which continued on Monday.
Search crews located a body around 1pm on Monday afternoon.
While it is yet to be formally identified, Police believe it is that of the missing 53-year-old.
A report will be prepared for coroner.
EARLIER | A frantic search will continue today for a Queensland church pastor who remains missing after his ute was swept off a causeway into floodwaters in the Northern Rivers of NSW.
The 53-year-old was leaving a family wedding rehearsal around 9.15pm on Saturday when he attempted to drive over a flooded crossway at Limpinwood, west of Murwillumbah in the Tweed.
His vehicle was found empty about 400 metres downstream, sparking a major search involving divers from Queensland Police, the Westpac chopper, and SES volunteers.
Emergency services have so far had no luck, however an extensive search involving police and the man’s family will continue from 8am AEDT Monday.
“We’ll continue to search throughout the day and we won’t give up until we find this gentleman,” Tweed-Byron Police Inspector Matt Woods said.
“The vehicle was located about 400 metres downstream from where the incident on the causeway took place and we’ve also located a number of items linked to the missing person further down stream,” Inspector Woods said.
It happened after the region was hit by “torrential rain” with more than 100 millimetres falling in the area.
