Police have provided an unsettling update regarding the search for four-year-old Gus Lamont, who disappeared from his grandparents’ residence in South Australia. Authorities have revealed plans to search several remote mine shafts in the ongoing effort to find the missing boy. This search operation, involving police, soldiers, SES crews, divers, and local residents, is expected to span up to three days and will utilize specialized equipment to explore six uncovered mine shafts situated between 5.5km and 12km from the location where Gus was last spotted in Oak Park.
According to South Australia Police, these shafts have not been previously explored on foot by law enforcement officers, and their existence was unknown until now. Deputy Commissioner of Police Linda Williams emphasized the commitment to exhaust all avenues in the search for Gus Lamont in order to bring closure to his family. The objective of these searches is to either uncover evidence or rule out these areas from further investigation by the Task Force.
This phase of the investigation aims to meticulously examine all potentially relevant locations to increase the chances of locating Gus. Concerns within the local community arose early in the search, with some residents expressing fears that Gus might have fallen into one of the unmarked wells or mines in the area. A local resident highlighted the presence of hidden shafts, emphasizing the need to thoroughly investigate all possible locations.
Recent efforts included draining a large dam on the property on October 31, eliminating the possibility of Gus drowning in the vicinity. Prior to this, extensive ground and aerial searches were conducted around the Oak Park Station homestead following Gus’s disappearance. Police had previously completed a four-day ground search at Oak Park Station, in addition to a 10-day search involving various law enforcement agencies, volunteers, and local property owners.
Police have expanded the ground search radius from the homestead to 5.5km, covering an area of 95 sqkm on foot. The overall search area, including mounted operations and aerial support, spans an estimated 470 sqkm. Multiple investigative leads are being pursued by authorities to locate Gus, with ongoing support being provided to his family through a victim contact office.