Search ends for missing men

THE search for three Yarrabah men who failed to return from an Australia Day fishing trip has been abandoned.

Police confirmed the seven-day search had failed to yield any sign of the trio and their vessel which was last seen having engine trouble near Green Island on January 26.

Multiple vessels and aircraft were used in the search which extended hundreds of kilometres up the Far North coastline.

Footage of the search for three men missing from Yarrabah.

Three jerry cans, a fuel tank and a waterlogged life vest were located in the first few days of the search, but the trio - Russell Bulmer, 27, Alban Creed, 37, and his son Silas Creed, 18 - could not be located.

Far North police Acting Insp Andy Cowie said they told the families late on Tuesday the search would not continue.

"It's a very terrible circumstance for the family to be in and they are devastated by the situation," he said.

"It was a very tough conversation for everyone.

Cairns Police Acting Inspector Andrew Cowie holds a media conference to inform the public that the search for three missing fishermen has been officially called off. Picture: Brendan Radke

"We set out to find someone and we haven't been able to do that.

"Three people from a tight-knit community, it's going to take them a while to come to terms with that."

Acting Insp Cowie said the recovered items were found on beaches or in waters off the coast of Cape Tribulation.

He called on anyone who found items which could belong to the vessel, including debris, to contact police immediately as the investigation switches to a missing persons matter.

Originally published as 'Devastated': Search ends for missing Yarrabah men