Police received a call at approximately 1:00 pm yesterday by a woman stating that her two brothers had set off for Melville Island on Christmas Eve and had not been heard from since.

Water Police conducted both sea and air searches for several hours before locating the two men in their 4.5 metre boat in Apsley Straight at 1:00 am this morning.

Territory Duty Superintendent Debra Smith said that this acts as yet another warning to all boat users.

"It appears that the men had set off without fully preparing for their journey, subsequently running out of fuel before they could reach their destination.

"Not only did they put their own lives at risk, but also the lives of rescuers as there were severe storms overnight.

"I urge anyone planning a journey by boat to meticulously plan ahead. This includes checking fuel, predicted weather conditions, tide times and be sure to have appropriate safety equipment including an EPIRB should you get into trouble. Always be sure to tell people where you are heading and when you are likely to get there, this way the authorities can be notified should you not arrive" she said.


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