Tony ANDELIERO

 

 

Details
Name: ANDELIERO Tony Sex: Male
Year of Birth: 1963 Age when missing: 61

 
At Time of Disappearance
Age: 61 Height (cm): 0.0 Build: Medium
Hair Colour: Black Eye Colour: Brown Complexion: Light Brown
Nationality:   Racial Appearance:      

 
Circumstances
Tony Andeliero is described as Mediterranean appearance, approx 118kg, 175cm tall, brown eyes, balding head, unshaven, no tattoos. Last seen wearing black thongs, blue/black t-shirt & blue/black denim shorts. LAST SEEN: 0823hrs Friday 03/01/2025 - Port Kembla Boat Ramp NSW.

Family 'holding out hope' for missing fisherman as search for NSW grandfather resumes

By Mikala Theocharous
Josh Hohne
April Glover 9 News
The search for a missing fisherman off the NSW Illawarra coast has resumed after it was called off yesterday due to choppy conditions.
Tony Andeliero, 60, a father, grandfather and experienced skipper, remains lost at sea but his family are desperately holding out hope after authorities began searching again about 8am today.
"We've got like little kids and they're not going to see their Pop anymore, so it's yeah, not great, not good," Andeliero's daughter Kayla told 9News.
"He's been fishing his whole life. He goes out on his boat all the time. He's a very experienced fisherman.
"They've got boats and helicopters and people walking up and down the shores."
Andeliero set off from the Port Kembla boat ramp yesterday morning.
 
Almost 12 hours later, his tinnie was found empty, 500 metres off Windang Island, triggering a multi-agency search.
Investigators are trying to work out exactly what time or how Andeliero went overboard. 
NSW Police Inspector Will Collins said there were no issues with the vessel itself, which has been seized by police. His car remains parked at Port Kembla.
The search on Friday continued until the early hours of the morning before it resumed again at 6am on Saturday.
It was then called off yesterday due to choppy conditions. 
"We don't know where he has left the vessel, where he has entered the water," Collins said.
"There were lifejackets located in the vessel, so there was safety equipment there, but we can't actually say if he was wearing a lifejacket."

The challenge is the vast size of the search area, crews are looking everywhere from Lake Illawarra to the shore and even further out to sea.

 

Search for missing fisherman Tony Andeliero near Wollongong suspended

After four days scouring an almost 30-kilometre stretch of coastline in the New South Wales Illawarra region, police have suspended the search for fisherman Tony Andeliero. 

The 63-year-old's aluminium boat was found by a member of the public floating in waters near Windang Island, south of Wollongong, on Friday night. 

It's believed the experienced local fisherman launched his boat from Port Kembla boat ramp, leaving his vehicle and trailer in the nearby car park. 

A multi-agency search involving Marine Rescue NSW, Surf Life Saving NSW, and State Emergency Service, was launched shortly after the empty boat was discovered. 

Despite efforts, Mr Andeliero has not been found. 

All agencies were stood down about 3pm on Monday, however they will continue to look for Mr Andeliero during their regular patrols. 

Conditions hinder search

Crews battled wild and windy weather over the weekend looking for the father and grandfather, with no success. 

"Imagine hitting a 3-foot pothole every 10 metres," Marine Rescue NSW Inspector Stuart Massey said on Monday. 

"So crews, unfortunately, can get a little bit beaten up." 

Marine Area Command, who is leading the investigation, said on Saturday they were looking at the possibility Mr Andeliero may have fallen overboard. 

The search zone was extended further south the next day to Point Perpendicular in Jervis Bay following drift modelling results. 

It was later adjusted north to Bass Point near Shell Cove. 

"Ocean currents are reasonably predictable and I guess when the police do their drift modelling, there's multiple possibilities,"
Inspector Massey said.

 

"It's almost like a bit of reverse engineering trying to figure out if the boat ended up there, where could it possibly have started from." 

If Mr Andeliero did indeed fall overboard, Inspector Massey said it was unknown where that occurred and if he was wearing a life jacket. 

"It's a bit of a needle in haystack." 

Family thankful for search efforts

While holding back tears, Tony Andeliero's daughter Kayla offered her deepest thanks to all the people involved in the search. 

 "They did a really good job," Ms Andeliero said. 

"It's comforting to know that there was a lot of people out looking and doing everything they can."

The Forbes resident said suspending the search for her dad was something she expected to happen. 

"We didn't think the search was going to go on forever. It was a lot of area to cover and the weather has not been great," she said.

She suspects her father, who she saw around Christmas, may have fallen overboard. 

"It's the only thing we can think of," she said.

"Dad didn't want a funeral so we don't really know what's next."