HEARTBREAKING: Sister of Missing FIFO Worker Bill Carter Steps Up to Lead Search Efforts Amid Growing Family Despair
Perth, Western Australia – December 14, 2025
As the search for missing 25-year-old fly-in fly-out (FIFO) worker William “Bill” Patrick Carter enters its ninth day, his sister has emerged as a central figure in coordinating updates and appeals, tirelessly contacting hospitals, shelters, and transport hubs across the state. Family sources describe her relentless efforts, emphasizing one poignant detail she repeats to media and police: Bill left without any signs of distress, conflict, or warning—making the prolonged silence all the more agonizing and every passing hour without answers feel heavier.
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Carter vanished on December 6 after his mother, Jenny O’Byrne, dropped him at Perth Airport’s Terminal 3 around 12:40 pm for a flight back to his mining job near Karratha in the Pilbara region. The pair had shared a relaxed breakfast at a cafe in Kelmscott, where O’Byrne captured a smiling selfie with her son—at his sister’s request to confirm he was okay. “Come on, let’s take a selfie for your sister,” O’Byrne recalled saying, a moment now etched in heartbreak.
Instead of boarding, Carter lingered at the airport before taking a taxi to Trigg Beach around 2:10 pm. He was last seen near the Trigg Beach Surf Life Saving Club at approximately 2:40 pm, carrying a small backpack, dressed casually in a black t-shirt, shorts, and sneakers. His phone last pinged mid-afternoon and has been off since, with no financial transactions, sightings, or contact.
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The disappearance has devastated a tight-knit family. Carter had recently returned from a holiday in Zambia with his sister and father, a trip meant to recharge after the demands of FIFO life. While described as “still quite sad” during the vacation by his sister, there were no overt indicators of crisis. O’Byrne, a dedicated nurse from Bunbury, has publicly shared concerns about her son’s mental health, noting he had stopped anti-anxiety medication and faced personal challenges. Yet, the abrupt vanishing—without argument or farewell—has left loved ones grappling with profound uncertainty.
In the absence of new leads, Carter’s sister has taken a prominent role in the grassroots search. She has been methodically calling hospitals in Perth and regional areas, homeless shelters, bus and train stations, and even transport hubs like airports and depots. Her message remains consistent: Bill departed calmly, with no fight or foreboding words, amplifying the mystery and emotional toll. “It’s the not knowing that’s the hardest,” a family spokesperson echoed in appeals circulating on social media and local forums.
Western Australia Police continue high-priority searches, including coastal patrols around Trigg Beach and reviews of CCTV footage. No evidence of foul play has emerged, but welfare concerns are grave given Carter’s vulnerability and limited supplies—most belongings left at the mine site.
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The case underscores the hidden strains of FIFO work in Australia’s resources sector. Long shifts in remote Pilbara camps, far from family support, have been linked to mental health issues. Colleagues previously described Carter’s no-show for his shift as “unprecedented,” recalling his past comment: “If I miss a flight, something’s seriously wrong.” This reliability makes his absence even more alarming.
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Community response has been overwhelming, with Reddit threads in r/perth garnering hundreds of shares and comments urging vigilance. Former schoolmates from Bunbury Cathedral Grammar School express shock, while appeals for dashcam footage from airport or beach routes persist.
Carter is described as Caucasian, 174cm tall, slim build, brown hair, blue eyes. His partner, Janae Williamson, and family paint him as kind and beloved, insisting this is out of character.
As summer temperatures rise, the family’s plea intensifies. The sister’s coordination reflects quiet determination amid grief—the emotional weight of ambiguous loss, where hope clashes with fear.
WA Police urge anyone with information to call 131 444 or Crime Stoppers anonymously on 1800 333 000. Even minor details could unlock the mystery.
For the Carters, the search is more than procedural—it’s a lifeline. In repeating that Bill left peacefully, his sister clings to the possibility of a safe return, even as the hours grow heavier.
