Police have declared the search for a four-year-old boy missing in the South Australian outback is now in the ‘recovery phase’ as rescuers hold little hope of finding him alive.
August ‘Gus’, aged four, vanished on Saturday from his grandparents’ remote homestead, about 40 kilometres south of Yunta, and police on Thursday conceded they’ve moved to treating the search as a recovery mission – not rescue.
Hundreds of searchers have scoured the red dust and scrub, but the only trace of Gus is a single footprint, discovered about 500m from the property’s homestead.
‘It’s a very similar boot pattern to what Gus was wearing when he went missing,’ Yorke Mid North Superintendent Mark Syrus said.
When he disappeared, the little boy was wearing a grey broad-brimmed hat, a blue long-sleeved shirt with a Minion picture from Despicable Me on the front, light grey pants, and boots.
On Thursday, Superintendent Syrus admitted the odds of survival were fading fast without food, water, or shelter.
‘A four-year-old doesn’t disappear into thin air, he has to be somewhere,’ Syrus said.
‘Hopefully he’s hanging in there alive, but we are now in recovery phase, and the fact he’s been gone over 100 hours and six days, that’s a long time to be out in the elements.
The desperate search continues for four-year-old Gus, who’s been missing since Saturday
SA Police superintendent Mark Syrus said police are losing hope the little boy will be found alive
‘We always believe Gus is a tough little country lad,’ Syrus said.
‘He may be curled up under a bush somewhere, and we’re determined to find him.’
Police have thrown everything at the search for Gus, including specialist divers to check water tanks and dams, infrared cameras, dogs, ATVs, and drones.
Family friend Bill Harbison read a statement on their behalf on Tuesday.
‘This has come as a shock to our family and friends, and we are struggling to comprehend what has happened,’ it read.
‘Gus’ absence is felt in all of us and we miss him more than words can express.
‘Our hearts are aching, and we are holding onto hope that he will be found and returned to us safely.
‘At this time, we kindly ask for privacy as we focus all our energy on supporting the search and working closely with the police.’
Police released an image of a solitary footprint in the dirt they believe may be Gus’
South Australia Police have not released photos of Gus as per his family’s wishes.
Police do not believe Gus has been taken, as the only people who would travel on the nearby road are station owners.
Supt Syrus said it was ‘unusual’ for Gus to wander as he ‘normally stays within the confines of the area’.
‘But, who knows what goes through a four-year-old’s mind?’ he said.
‘We understand he’s a pretty quiet sort of lad but he is, as you know, a country lad and he’s pretty adventurous as well.
‘But him moving out of the area is a little bit unusual.’
Despite police warning it is unlikely he will be found alive survivalist and Alone Australia Season one runner-up Michael Atkinson believes Gus is still alive and urged emergency responders to continue the search until the boy is found.
The former ADF pilot pointed out that, having grown up on the property, Gus would be comfortable in his surroundings, adding that farm kids are often more resilient.
‘The kid’s background is a hugely important factor, in some ways being young is actually an advantage because you don’t realise the seriousness,’ Atkinson told the Adelaide Advertiser.
‘Having a hat is important, as it keeps your head warm and, if you look at the time of year, it is probably the best time of year as it’s not too hot or cold,’ Atkinson said.
He said Gus would be able to survive without water at this time of year, adding that many have gone much longer.
The search continues for the four-year-old who was last seen at his home near Yunta
Police have not released an image of Gus, but said he was wearing a blue Minions shirt
‘Robert Bogucki went 12 days with no water in Broome, so dehydration-wise he (Gus) wouldn’t be doing it at a fast rate compared to other times of year,’ he said.
Atkinson urged authorities to continue aerial patrols every night.
‘He could be hiding under a bush not seen from one angle, but he could be captured from another,’ he said.
One local told Daily Mail little Gus may have fallen into a mine.
‘I would be more worried about the unmarked wells and mines he may have fallen into,’ he said. ‘That’s the talk [among locals].’
The state’s north-east pastoral district is dotted with mines and wells from a bygone era well over 100 years ago – and many of the region’s station owners are still stumbling across them to this day.
They were used as water sources for livestock and for those ‘chasing the gold dream’ back in the day, according to our source.
Many of these sinister holes are invisible to an adult’s naked eye – much less a meandering child’s.
Daily Mail’s source, who wished to remain anonymous, owns more than 30,000 acres of land that has been in his family for multiple generations, and is still stumbling across disused shafts and wells.
‘Most aren’t on any maps. If [Gus’ grandparents] have owned that property for a while, they should know where they are – although I’m still finding new spots on my property,’ he said.
Police have brought in specialist divers (pictured) to search dams and water tanks
A local has shared an image of an abandoned well from years gone by which dot the region
‘Most have different-coloured material around them from being dug out, but some are flush with the ground and have overgrowth all around them,’ he said.
‘Some are easy to see, some definitely not… but hopefully [Gus] is just lost… and not perished.’
Police continue to search a 3km radius from Gus’s last known whereabouts.
‘Yesterday afternoon, we had another review of our search and we’ve actually gone back to the property and searched it now for the third time, just in case he’s secreted or hiding somewhere around the property,’ Supt Syrus said.
‘Unfortunately nothing turned up.
‘So today, we’re continuing the search around the area and hopefully we’ll find a clue, a hat or something that might give us an idea of which direction he travelled in.’
Anyone with information that may assist police is urged to contact Crime Stoppers.
