Missing at sea

The group of four men - three from Tonga and one from Vanuatu - set off near Mission Beach more than a week ago.

A 36-year-old Tongan man is the only survivor who was rescued after spending up to 30 hours in the ocean and has since been released from hospital.

Three of the seasonal workers were employed on a banana farm.

In a statement, Far North Queensland Police acting inspector Brett Jenkins said authorities couldn't find the remaining three missing fishermen or any items of theirs.

Photo ABC 

The Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation said the boat left Gizo on Saturday, January 1, for the Shortland Islands.

Sibere Tauroa from Taro police, who is supervising a search operation, said among the 14 missing are women and two children - a nine-year-old and a four-year-old.

Mr Tauroa told SIBC News that two boats left Gizo on Saturday and travelled alongside each other destined for the Shortland Islands.

The 30-year-old and 45-year-old went missing in an area around Nonouti Atoll last week.

A New Zealand Air Force Orion has been flying over the area where the men are thought most likely to be but there's been no sign of them.

The Rescue Co-ordination Centre in Suva said the aircraft is making one last pass over the area before it returns to New Zealand.

There are also two boats from Kiribati involved in the search.

The missing vessel did not have an emergency distress beacon on board.