The search continues for 73 year old fisherman, Terry Jennings, who was last seen on Thursday morning, March 31 after CCTV footage captured him talking to an unidentified man at Gnarabup boat ramp in the Margaret River region.

Jennings wasn’t reported missing until several days later after a local cafe owner phoned authorities on Sunday, April 3 to report that Jennings’s car had been left abandoned at the site for four days, sparking concerns as to why it took so long for the man’s disappearance to be reported.

Western Australia Police Inspector, Scott Morrissey, described the situation to 9 News as “dire”, revealing that the late reporting had caused a substantial delay in the search for Jennings.

“The missing person has not been seen since Thursday morning, so it’s four days,” he said.

Authorities hold particular concerns for the 73 year old fisherman who reportedly embarked on his trip in a three-metre dinghy, which typically is not an ideal vessel to withstand the current rough weather conditions in the area.

A number of search crews are covering an area of 800 square nautical miles in their quest to locate Jennings, however recent conditions have halted their progress.

Authorities have urged the unidentified man who was last seen speaking to Jennings to please come forward and assist in the investigation.

More to come as the story unfolds.