TOWNSVILLE, Australia, April 22 (UPI) -- Australian authorities have called off the air and sea search for three men missing from a yacht found drifting off the Queensland coast.
The 39-foot catamaran named Kaz II, found abandoned four days ago on the outer reaches of the Great Barrier Reef, was towed into Townsville Saturday.
Forensic experts said they could find no evidence of what happened to the three men ages 56, 63 and 69 who were sailing the yacht around the top of Australia to Perth.
A police spokesman said the search had been called off as experts said the men could not have survived more than six days in the water.
Detective Inspector Warren Webber told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. it was a blow to the men's families but "obviously we've got to base our decision on the likelihood of being able to recover anyone."
Police would continue to investigate what happened aboard the yacht, which apparently ran into bad weather.
