Renewed SA search for 4-year-old Gus Lamont ends with no trace

Police and Australian Defence Force personnel resumed searches in mid October at a remote South Australian sheep station for four year old Gus Lamont, who vanished from the property on the evening of September 27, but the renewed operation concluded this week without turning up any trace of the child. Gus was last seen by his grandmother at about 5pm playing in sand near the homestead at Oak Park Station, roughly 40 kilometres south of Yunta, police said.

Authorities expanded the area of the hunt after an earlier, extensive sweep failed to find evidence. The initial search covered an estimated 470 square kilometres. The latest operation focused on an expanded zone around the homestead, covering about a 5.5 kilometre radius or roughly 95 square kilometres. Over several days police, ADF personnel, State Emergency Service volunteers, First Nations trackers and local property owners combed the terrain, using foot patrols, vehicles, drones and aerial support, but found no new leads.

The renewed effort involved specialist resources including about 18 police officers, 82 ADF members and more than 30 support vehicles, supported by SES teams with a drone and utility terrain vehicles,...