Australian police have announced a renewed and highly specialised ground search for four-year-old Gus Lamont, who vanished from his family's remote property in South Australia months ago.
Focus Turns to Unsearched Mine Shafts
The new operation, scheduled to begin on Tuesday, will concentrate on six uncovered and unfenced mine shafts located at Oak Park Station. Police confirmed these sites, situated between 5.5km and 12km from the Oak Park homestead, were not previously known to investigators and have not been searched on foot.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Linda Williams stated that the search is a critical part of the ongoing Task Force Horizon investigation. "We are determined to explore every avenue in an effort to locate Gus Lamont and provide some closure for his family," she said. "These searches will either locate evidence or eliminate these locations from further investigation."
A Prolonged and Extensive Search Effort
Gus was last seen on September 27, playing on a dirt pile near his home while his grandmother was inside with his younger brother. His disappearance triggered one of the region's most extensive search operations.
Subsequent searches have spanned an estimated 470 square kilometres, involving hundreds of team members, aerial support, and mounted units. This included an initial 10-day search, a subsequent four-day search of Oak Park Station concluding on October 17, and the draining of a large dam on the property on October 31, which eliminated the possibility of drowning.
The Final Phase of the Investigation
The upcoming search, expected to last up to three days, will involve STAR Group officers and Task Force Horizon officers using specialised equipment to probe the mine shafts. This phase is intended to ensure all locations of possible interest in a wide radius of the homestead are scrutinised.
Police have confirmed that Gus's family members have "continued to cooperate fully with police and are being supported by a victim contact officer." The community and investigators remain hopeful for a resolution in the heartbreaking case of the missing four-year-old.
