David PRIDEAUX

 

 

 

Search for missing prison boss David Prideaux ends

THE bush search for missing prison boss David Prideaux came to a sad end yesterday when it was abandoned eight days after he vanished near Mansfield.

His brother Peter said searchers, family and friends had "looked everywhere" for Mr Prideaux, the head of maximum security at Barwon Prison.

He said Mr Prideaux's family was heartened by the efforts of searchers and Corrections Victoria and messages of good wishes.

"Many, even inmates, have sent their best," Mr Prideaux said.

Patrols of bush tracks in the area will continue.

Mr Prideaux was last seen in the Victorian high country on the Buckland Spur tracknear Tomahawk Hut, at 7.45am on June 5.

 

Hundreds farewell missing prison boss David Prideaux

A SERVICE has been held for Barwon Prison boss David Prideaux, who vanished while hunting in central Victoria last month.

Family, friends and colleagues yesterday farewelled the man who disappeared in dense bushland amid freezing conditions near Mansfield.

The memorial service in Melton was attended by hundreds of mourners.

Mr Prideaux's son, Caleb, told the gathering he was devastated by his father's disappearance.

"I'll always miss him ... he'll always be with me," he said.

A huge search including police, volunteers and the airwing failed to find any sign of the missing man.

It is believed his family will resume the search for his body in spring.

Hunt for jail boss back on

A SEARCH to find the missing boss of Barwon Prison is to resume this month.

David Prideaux disappeared while deer hunting in Victoria's alpine district more than four months ago. The initial search was called off a week after he vanished because of bad conditions.

Sgt Cameron McPherson, based at Mansfield police station, said a new search would start by the end of the month.

Police hope improved weather conditions will lead to a breakthrough in the case, which began when Mr Prideaux vanished without a trace on June 5.

"We just have to wait for conditions to become a bit better," Sgt McPherson said. "There are blue skies but it doesn't mean it's good conditions quite yet.

"Later in the month we expect it'll be good under foot."

Police are keen to solve the mystery and offer Mr Prideaux's family closure.

"They're keen and so are we because we don't like this sort of situation. We'd like to put some finality to it," police said.

Search and rescue crews concentrated on the area around Tomahawk Hut, in the Black Spur Track region, where Mr Prideaux was last seen.

The 50-year-old was carrying a day pack with supplies and was wearing camouflage clothing when he disappeared. Snow and high winds hampered the original search.

 

New hunt for missing prison boss

THE search resumed yesterday for a prison boss missing in Victoria's alpine district.

Officers from the police search and rescue squad travelled to the Mansfield area, 180km northeast of Melbourne, to look for any trace of Barwon Prison chief David Prideaux.

Mr Prideaux, 50, vanished on June 5 this year while on a hunting trip around Tomahawk Hut, in the Black Spur Track region.

Searchers hope to take advantage of this week’s forecast fine weather to scour the area.

 

Search stopped for missing Barwon Prison boss David Prideaux

A SECOND search for the missing governor of Barwon Prison has been called off.

David Prideaux vanished while deer hunting in the Alpine National Park on June 5.

A search at the time was abandoned because of bad weather.

Rescue workers resumed the search on Monday, but halted it on Wednesday after it failed to turn up any new clues.

The second search covered about 10sq km of difficult terrain.

Victoria Police has said more search operations for Mr Prideaux would likely be held.

 

Hunt resumes for missing Barwon Prison boss

POLICE have recommenced searches for missing Barwon Prison boss David Prideaux, who disappeared almost six months ago.

Search-and-rescue teams have been deployed twice in the past month but are yet to find any trace of his body in the rugged terrain where he vanished.

Mr Prideaux went missing without a trace on June 5 while hunting with his brother-in-law in the High Country region near Mansfield. Heavy winter snow hampered attempts to locate the former manager of Barwon Prison and he was presumed dead.

Though snow has now melted, police say the rough landscape is making new searches for his body frustrating.

"Several searches have been conducted, and because of the heavy terrain, it's proving difficult to locate David Prideaux," a spokeswoman said.

"Police will continue to search in the future if any information comes to hand. (We) have provided regular updates to the Prideaux family."

It is believed bushland was so thick during parts of the search that rescue workers walking metres apart were unable to see each other.

Line searches, where police walk side by side to comb the landscape, have been almost impossible in some areas of the dense scrub.

Mr Prideaux was wearing camouflage clothing at the time of his disappearance, making recovery of his body even more challenging.

The spokeswoman said police still believed the disappearance was not suspicious.

A memorial service was held in Melton a month after Mr Prideaux went missing, and family and friends farewelled him without his body.

Searches have concentrated on a patch of 10sq km close to Tomahawk Hut, in the Black Spur Track region, where Mr Prideaux was last seen.

Police have dismissed suggestions Mr Prideaux's disappearance related to the bashing death of Carl Williams in Barwon Prison in April.