Chris Hemsworth reportedly aided an investigation into the disappearance of a local Australian police officer.
Hemsworth, 41, was spotted speaking to law enforcement officials on Wednesday, March 26, near Byron Bay in photos obtained by the Daily Mail. Multiple Australian news outlets have reported that the Marvel star was near a Broken Head surf spot, where cop Jay Notaro went missing earlier this week.
According to Australia’s Courier Mail, Hemsworth and Notaro were acquaintances and the Queensland police officer would reportedly travel from the Gold Coast to surf with the actor and his friend Luke Munro.
Notaro was last seen on CCTV footage at the Broken Head parking lot on Tuesday, March 25, around dawn. Notaro’s reported absence led to a widespread search-and-rescue operation by multiple Australian police agencies from both New South Wales and Queensland.
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The search was suspended on Friday, March 28, when Notaro’s car and surfboard had been found near the beach.
“While the multi-agency coordinated search has been suspended, taskings by local police and Marine Area Command will continue in the area over coming days,” a spokesperson for the NSW Police told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. “Police wish to thank those who volunteered in the search for the missing man and the local community for their support.”
Jay’s uncle, Phil Notaro, later confirmed in a Friday statement that the detective had been presumed dead. He was 45.
“The family is, of course, naturally devastated,” Phil wrote via social media. “This hole in our lives will never be filled. We are heartbroken. Such a tragic accident.”
While a cause of death has not been confirmed, Phil hinted that Jay died while in the water.
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“Conditions this week have been horrendous and we can’t thank the NSW and Queensland Police enough for a remarkable response,” Phil continued in his upload.“Plus all the friends and colleagues that attended to help in any way they could. And the onslaught of messages. It’s been truly humbling and heartwarming. But, we fully understand that they had to call it.”
He concluded, “The search was intensive. Now we wait for Mother Nature to decide if she will return him to us.”
Shane Chelepy, the acting commissioner of the Queensland Police, further offered his gratitude to all those involved in the rescue efforts.
“This is an incredibly difficult time for our organization, and our thoughts are with Jay’s family, friends, and colleagues as we continue to navigate this tragic situation,” Chelepy said in a statement to the ABC. “I want to sincerely thank our NSW Police counterparts and everyone involved in the search for their tireless commitment and professionalism under highly challenging and emotional circumstances. I know this situation has impacted many across the QPS and the community.”
Hemsworth, for his part, has not publicly addressed the case or Jay’s presumed death.
