Authorities in South Australia have searched abandoned mine shafts as part of the ongoing effort to find four-year-old Gus Lamont, who disappeared from his family's remote homestead two months ago. The search, one of the largest and most intensive for a missing person in the state, has so far yielded no sign of the boy.
Gus was last seen playing on a mound of dirt at Oak Park Station, a 60,000-hectare sheep station near the town of Yunta, at 5pm on 27 September. When his grandmother went to call him inside 30 minutes later, he was gone. Police initially scaled back the search in early October, warning the family that Gus may not have survived due to the terrain and the time elapsed.
However, after advice from survivability specialists, an expanded search was launched involving police, Australian Defence Force personnel, State Emergency Service members, drones, dogs, divers, and mounted police. On 31 October, police drained a large dam on the property but found nothing.
Last week, police learned of six abandoned, uncovered, and unfenced mine shafts on the property, located between 5.5km and 12km from the homestead. Deputy Police Commissioner Linda Williams said authorities were determined to explore every avenue. The shafts were searched using specialised equipment for depths up to 20 metres, but no trace of Gus was found.
Police have stated there is no suggestion of foul play. The family is being supported by a victim contact officer. While about 50,000 people go missing in Australia each year, 99% are found, and most children are located within 24 hours. The case has drawn attention to disparities in media coverage of missing persons, with experts noting that Indigenous women and children often receive less public attention.
