Ashley “Ash” Haigh is described by friends as being an “experienced fisherman”.

Search for missing fisherman, 44, Continues After His Boat Is Found

Ash Haigh.Credit : Ash Haigh/Facebook

The search for a missing Australian man who disappeared while fishing has intensified after authorities located his boat — without anyone inside it.

Ashley “Ash” Haigh, 44, was last seen on his boat the morning of Thursday, Feb. 5, in the waters off the Gold Coast, per local news outlet 9 News. He was officially reported missing when his vessel did not return by about 7 p.m. local time that day.

His boat was found seven hours later near the suburb of Burleigh in the early morning hours of Friday, Feb. 6, per 9 News and News 7.

Search for missing fisherman, 44, Continues After His Boat Is Found

Ash Haigh.Ash Haigh/Facebook

Police stated that one of the vessel’s life jackets was missing when the boat was found, but they cannot confirm whether Haigh was wearing it at the time of his disappearance, per News 9.

The Queensland Police Service and New South Wales Police did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’S request for comment on Saturday, Feb. 7.

The Marine Rescue of New South Wales stated that they are currently assisting “in the search for a missing boater after an overdue vessel was located off the Gold Coast with no one on board,” in a media release shared on Saturday.

They added that they had deployed three of their vessels and 12 volunteers to assist authorities in the “multiagency search.”

“Ash is a local friend of the fishing community, president of the local Gold Coast game fish club. Well-renowned fisherman, skipper, father, husband,” Andrew Dunbar, a longtime friend of Haigh, told News 9.

Dunbar additionally described Haigh as “an experienced fisherman.”

The Gold Coast Game Fish Club shared a message of support for both Haigh and his family in a Feb. 7 Facebook post.

“The Gold Coast Game Fish Club want to extend our support to Ash’s family right at the moment, and we ask that you all hope and pray for the safe return of our mate. Rest assured that the search efforts undertaken to date are nothing short of extraordinary,” they wrote.

“Come home safe, Ash,” they added.