Queensland police have located a bag of lifejackets as they continue their aerial and water search for five people after their empty boat was found floating in the Torres Strait.

The seven-metre vessel left Badu Island about 3pm on July 31 with plans to travel to Dauan Island with five people on board. It was reported overdue about 10pm the same day.

Those on board included two men aged 44 and 22, two women both aged 21,  and a nine-year-old boy, all from Dauan Island.

Their empty boat was found on Friday afternoon about 4.5km west of Dauan Island.

Meanwhile, Papua New Guinea authorities later informed Queensland Police that a child’s body has been located near Old Mawatta Village on mainland Papua New Guinea.

Police are determining whether the body is that of the missing 9-year-old boy, however it is outside of the search area.

Police are liaising with the families of the missing people to keep them informed of details of search and rescue efforts.

Child's body found in search for five people missing in Torres Strait https://t.co/UZx3ff9ta6 #PNG pic.twitter.com/q447sfgGpx

— Raet Lomi (@raetlomi) August 2, 2019

The lifejackets will be tested to determine whether they came from the missing boat.

Water police and the helicopter will concentrate their aerial and water search on Saturday afternoon along the coastlines of the islands within the Torres Strait.