FIFO Worker Vanishes After Being Dropped at Perth Airport, Leaving Family Desperate for Answers

A West Australian family has issued a desperate plea for information after a 25-year-old FIFO worker failed to board a flight to the Pilbara and disappeared without a trace. William “Bill” Carter, from Kelmscott, was due to return to work at a mine site near Karratha on Saturday, but he never arrived at his destination and has not been seen or heard from since.

Carter had spent several weeks overseas on holiday and was scheduled to resume his rostered swing with his employer. His mother, Jenny O’Byrne, said nothing seemed out of the ordinary that morning. The pair shared breakfast together at the Kelmscott Dome café before making the short drive to Perth Airport.

O’Byrne said her son appeared relaxed and ready to return to work. Before leaving the café, she took a selfie of the two of them—an image that would unknowingly become the last confirmed photo of Carter before his disappearance. “He was completely normal. We had a lovely breakfast, talked about his trip, and then headed to the airport,” she said.

The pair arrived at Terminal 3 at approximately 12.40pm. O’Byrne said she pulled up at the drop-off bay, hugged her son goodbye, and watched him walk toward the entrance with his luggage. She then drove away, believing he would check in and board his flight to Karratha shortly afterward.

But Carter never checked in, and airline records later confirmed he did not board the scheduled flight. When he failed to contact his employer and did not arrive at the mine site, concerns quickly escalated. By Saturday evening, O’Byrne began calling and messaging her son repeatedly, but received no response. When a full day passed without any word from him, she reported him missing.

Police have since released an appeal to the public, urging anyone who may have seen Carter around the airport precinct or elsewhere on Saturday afternoon to come forward. They have also asked businesses in the vicinity to review CCTV footage in an effort to track his movements after he was last seen.

O’Byrne said she is now extremely worried for her son’s safety and wellbeing, describing his disappearance as completely out of character. “Bill is responsible, reliable, and he always communicates. For him not to board his flight and not to answer his phone—it’s just not him,” she said. “I’m terrified something has happened. I just want him found.”

Carter is described as 25 years old, of medium build, and was last seen wearing casual clothing suitable for travel. Police have not publicly released further details regarding his attire or luggage but have confirmed that his mobile phone has not been active since the time he was last seen, which has heightened concerns.

The circumstances surrounding Carter’s disappearance remain unclear. Investigators are continuing to examine CCTV from the airport and surrounding transport hubs, and are urging anyone who may have been in the vicinity of Terminal 3 on Saturday afternoon to report any possible sightings. Officers are also appealing to rideshare drivers, taxi operators, and public transport users who may have been in the area to review dash-cam footage.

O’Byrne said she is struggling to comprehend how her son could vanish in a busy public space. “You think an airport is one of the safest places someone could be, with cameras everywhere,” she said. “But right now, we have no idea where he is. No one has seen him, and there’s been no contact at all.”

Family members and friends have begun circulating Carter’s photo across social media platforms in an effort to widen the search. O’Byrne said the support from the community has been overwhelming but that the family remains in agony as the days pass with no developments.

“We are just asking people to keep looking, keep sharing his photo, and keep contacting police if they remember anything—even something small,” she said. “Someone must have seen him. We just need that one piece of information.”

Authorities are urging anyone with information about William “Bill” Carter’s whereabouts to contact police immediately. As the search continues, his family remains hopeful but increasingly distressed, clinging to the possibility that he may still be found safe.

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