Search scaled back for missing Mandurah fishermen

Uock Pham, 50, his brother Tuan Pham, Uock’s son Jacob, 24, and future son-in-law Justin O’Neill, 32 failed to return from a fishing trip. PIC: Seven News

The search for a Coodanup fisherman and his family will be scaled back today, four days after they went missing in waters near Rottnest Island.

Uock Pham, 50, his brother Tuan Pham, Uock’s son Jacob, 24, and future son-in-law Justin O’Neill, 32, set out on an overnight fishing trip in their 5.5m boat, named Yeah Buoy, on Wednesday morning but never returned.

The bodies of Jacob and Justin were found near Garden Island on Friday, with Uock and Tuan still missing.

Authorities are yet to locate the vessel, believed to have sunk.

Belle Howard, a cousin of Mr O’Neill’s fiancee Ashleigh, said the tragedy has taken a huge tole on the family.

“It’s just the worst thing that can happen,” Ms Howard told Seven News.

“It’s not just one person, a whole family has been broken apart and damaged in this. It is no one’s fault, but it is a tragedy nonetheless.”

A GoFundMe page has been started to help the family cover funeral costs.

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