Ashley Jay Hicks: Tragedy as councillor's son drowns in swollen Beardmore Dam in southern Queensland
A local councillor has lost her son after his body was recovered by authorities at a rain-swollen dam.
Ashley Jay Hicks was reported missing on Sunday afternoon after he dived into Beardmore Dam near St George, in southern Queensland, and failed to resurface.
His body was found by police about 6am on Tuesday following an extensive search.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.Mr Hicks had been overwhelmed by waters being released at the dam following months of heavy rainfall in Queensland, with storage at 104.5 per cent capacity, according to SunWater.
Mr Hicks is the son of Balonne Shire councillor Robyn Fuhrmeister.
The council offered it condolences to her in a statement.
“Following an extensive search and rescue operation ... Mr Hicks’ body was located just to the south of the dam wall just after 6am this morning,” the council said.
“Our deepest condolences and thoughts are with councillor Fuhrmeister and her family in the wake of this devastating news.”
The extensive search for Mr Hicks involved police, SES volunteers, swift water rescue crews and aerial teams.
A report will be prepared for the coroner.
More than 30 people have drowned around the nation this summer.
A couple from Perth’s Bangladeshi community died after reportedly attempting to rescue their two children from a rip in December.
A 21-year-old man in Canberra drowned after he failed to resurface while swimming with family and friends at Pine Island in the Murrumbidgee River
In far north Queensland, a 55-year-old Brisbane man died after falling off Clamshell Falls near Cairns just weeks after the body of an international tourist was found when he failed to resurface at Babinda Falls.
