Walter JOHNSTON
Walter JOHNSTON
AUTHORITIES hold serious concerns for the safety of a man who went missing from his caravan on a Flying Fox Creek property near Buccarumbi earlier this week.
Walter Johnston, 72, was last seen by his daughter at 9:30am on Monday.
She reported him as missing to local police at 5pm.
Continuous search efforts during the past 48 hours, covering a one- square-kilometre range from where Mr Johnston was last seen have failed to locate his where- abouts.
Search co-ordinator Brendan O'Mahony said he is not expected to have wandered far.
"Due to his age, health, his limited mobility and the rough terrain in the area we don't expect him to be far away," he said.
"Mr Johnston is not local. He and his daughter had been staying in two separate caravans on the property for a few days before he was reported as missing.
"Mr Johnston has a heart condition and we are seriously concerned for his welfare. We want to locate him as soon as possible.
"Yesterday we continued to search the area near the caravan where Mr Johnston was last seen.
"He is described as being of Caucasian appearance, 185cm tall, very lean and is wearing a black jacket, black pants and gumboots.
"His appearance will make it more difficult for him to be seen as there was a fire in the area recently and he could easily be confused for a blackened log or tree stump."
Brendan said Mr Johnston could also be suffering from exposure.
"The weather has not hampered our efforts to find him, but his wellbeing is a concern after being lost in the bush for days," he said.
"His family are handling the situation well and everyone is hoping for a positive outcome."
Yesterday the Rural Fire Service, State Emergency Service, Rural Search and Rescue, Voluntary Rescue Association and the NSW Ambulance Service including their Special Casualty Access Team (SCAT) assisted police in the ongoing search for Mr Johnston.
The Westpac Lifesaver Rescue Helicopter conducted an aerial search on Tuesday with limited success due to the search area's thick terrain.
Buccarumbi locals have also joined the search on horseback.
Should Mr Johnston not be located within the following 24-hours, Brendan said search efforts would be re-assessed.
Anyone who has seen Mr Johnston or has information about his whereabouts is urged to contact police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
HOPES of finding missing man Walter Johnston alive are beginning to fade after a third day of searching failed to locate him.
The 72-year-old, who suffers from a serious heart condition, has not been seen or heard from since 9.30am on Monday when he left his caravan at Flying Fox Creek.
Previous efforts to locate his where- abouts, including an aerial search by the Westpac Life Saver Rescue Helicopter, co-ordinated on-ground rescue teams and locals on horseback have failed to find him.
Authorities expanded the search area, covering a three-kilometre range from where Mr Johnston was last sighted.
Grafton duty officer Inspector Murray Gillett said the search for Mr Johnston would continue today. He said police divers could be called in to provide additional assistance with the search of a creek and nearby dams.
"So far all efforts to locate Mr Johnston have proved unsuccessful and it is essential he is found as soon as possible," he said.
Mr Johnston, who is described as being of Caucasian appearance, 185cm tall with a lean figure, was wearing black clothing and gumboots when he went missing.
Due to the rugged terrain surrounding Flying Fox Creek near Buccarumbi, authorities believe Mr Johnston, who has limited mobility, has not wandered far.
The Rural Fire Service, State Emergency Service, the Volunteer Rescue Association and the NSW Ambulance Service continue to assist police with the search.
Anyone who has seen Mr Johnston or knows of his whereabouts is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
UPDATE: RESCUERS who have spent the week searching for a missing man in bushland, north-east of Nymboida, have begun to fear the worst.
Walter Johnson, 72, who is known to suffer a serious heart condition is yet to be found after he went missing in the Buccarumbi area, 32-kilometres south-west of Grafton.
Mr Johnson, who lives on a local property, was found to be missing from his caravan on Monday about 12.30pm.
Relatives and neighbours mounted an immediate search for Mr Johnson, which failed to locate him.
Police were contacted and have now coordinated ground and aerial searches over the past three days.
Police say they hold grave fears for his safety given he requires daily medication.
A widespread search resumed at first light today.
Already crews from the Rural Fire Service, State Emergency Service, Voluntary Rescue Association, Rural Search and Rescue and an Ambulance Special Casualty Access Team have spent countless hours scouring the nearby country-side.
The Lismore-based Westpac Rescue Lifesaver Helicopter has also patrolled the skies, but to no avail.
Walter Johnston is described as being 72-years-old, of Caucasian appearance, with an olive complexion, 185cm tall, of a lean build, and was last seen wearing a black jacket, black pants and gumboots.
Anyone who may have seen a man matching Walter's description should immediately call Coffs Clarence police via Crimestoppers on 1800 333 000.
HOPES of finding missing 72-year-old Walter Johnston lie with the police dog unit, trail bike squad, diving team and local landowners on horseback after police scaled down their search over the weekend.
Mr Johnston has not been seen or heard from in more than a week since leaving his caravan on a property near Buccarumbi on December 12.
Inspector Scott Parker from the Coffs Clarence Local Area Command praised the efforts of the State Emergency Services, Rural Fire Services, Volunteer Rescue Association and the NSW Ambulance Service for their assistance in trying to locate Mr Johnston, adding the Police Dog Unit was now their main hope of finding him.
"Ongoing search efforts have been limited by the terrain and with the logistics and personnel involved police are now reliant on indications from the dogs in locating Mr Johnston," he said.
"The dogs are able to distinguish the scent of a human from other scents in the area and in the past they have proved very successful in locating missing persons.
"Once we (police) are satisfied that all our capabilities in locating Mr Johnston have been used to their full potential we will look at scaling the search back further."
Insp Parker said police divers had already cleared a number of dams, a creek and abandoned mines in the area.
He said the narrow movements of Mr Johnston prior to December 12 lead police to believe he is still in the area.
Police are in contact with members of Mr Johnston's family and conducting an electronic search on the missing man to ensure they "haven't left a stone unturned."
The search continues.
Following his disappearance, local police set up a command post near Buccarumbi where authorities spent several weeks undertaking an extensive search without success.
Mr Johnston is described as being Caucasian with an olive complexion, 185cm tall, of a lean build, and was last seen wearing a black jacket, black pants and gumboots.
Superintendent Mark Holahan from Coffs/Clarence local area command has appealed to the public to contact Crime Stoppers or Grafton police if they have any information on his whereabouts.