Desperate Search for Little Gus Intensifies: Cops Launch ‘Significant’ Aerial Hunt with Infrared Drones
- Police conduct aerial search with infrared drones over the weekend, analysis still underway
- Boot print found at dam, but later ruled out as unrelated to missing boy
- Acting Police Commissioner says results of drone searches could inform further ground searches
In a heart-wrenching development, South Australian police have revealed they conducted a “significant” aerial search for missing four-year-old Gus over the weekend, using infrared drones to scour the vast and isolated homestead at Oak Park Station, 43 kilometres south of Yunta.
Gus, who remains missing, was last seen playing at his family’s property about 5pm on Saturday, September 27. Despite scaling back the search last week, police have continued to work around the clock to find the little boy, with Acting Commissioner Linda Williams saying they will “never give up hope” of finding him.
The aerial search, which took place on Friday and Saturday nights, used the same technology employed in the search for alleged murder victim Julian Story at Port Lincoln. While the results of the analysis are still being reviewed, Acting Commissioner Williams said they could provide crucial leads for further ground searches.
In a separate development, a dam was searched on Monday after a boot print was found, but the print was subsequently ruled out as unrelated to Gus. The print was discovered 3.5 kilometres west of the homestead, prompting a renewed search involving numerous resources, including STAR, PolAir, and a tracker.
Acting Commissioner Williams said police activity in the area would continue “from time to time,” and that they would follow up on any new information that comes to light. The family has continued to cooperate fully with police and have consented to every request made of them.
The search for Gus has been one of the largest and most protracted in SA Police history, with Assistant Commissioner Ian Parrott describing it as “one of the most intensive and most protracted searches ever undertaken” by the force.
Police have released a photo of Gus and are appealing to anyone with information about his disappearance to come forward. The investigation will now be managed by the Missing Persons Investigation Section, which is standard practice for long-term cases such as this.