Gus Lamont: SA police commissioner says new taskforce is for recovery in heartbreaking update

South Australia’s Police Commissioner has provided an update on the reinvigorated search for the little boy who disappeared from his grandparents’ property as the ADF move back in.

As a reinvigorated effort to find the four-year-old boy began on the perimeter of the sheep station where he went missing on September 27, Police Commissioner Grant Stevens confirmed a new task force has been formed.

Teams of ADF personnel and police streamed back on to the outback property outside Yunta on Tuesday under the newly formed moniker, Taskforce Horizon.

Acting on new advice, the operation has now expanded to areas outside the previous search zones after police ruled out foul play and confirmed they are now concentrating on finding the boy’s body.

Appearing on radio station FIVEAA on Tuesday morning Commissioner Stevens reiterated the new search was a recovery operation and hopes of finding the young boy alive are slim.

“The family are co-operating with the police inquiry … we have nothing to suggest foul play at this time but we’re obligated to consider every possibility,” Mr Stevens said.

“Our efforts are focused on comprehensively searching the property, and we’re endeavouring to recover Gus for his family.”

“We’re still looking for Gus, that’s really important to the family, to us, and for everybody who’s been involved,” he added in a sombre tone.

“The Australian Defence Force has been excellent and we’ve got 80 ADF personnel up on the property this morning, being coordinated by field search controllers that are police officers with South Australia Police, really just making sure that we leave no stone unturned.”

The case of little Gus, who went missing after playing on a sandhill just outside his grandparents’ Oak Park Station home weeks ago, has gripped Australia and the world.

On Tuesday, trucks and people movers carrying the ADF members had been positioned in areas around the property and could be seen ferrying the soldiers into their designated search areas, The Advertiser reports.

Mr Stevens said the search for Gus has been exhaustive and one of the biggest in Australian history.

More than 470sqkm had been searched, equivalent to the land area of 109 Adelaide CBDs.

“That is a massive search area and we’ve had intensive searches being conducted since Gus was reported missing, using police officers, ADF volunteers, SES, technology – we’ve been using infra-red drones, PolAir has been searching the property as well,” he said.

“We’ve done everything we can based on expert advice in relation to where we should be searching but this is just making sure that, as I said, we leave no stone unturned.”

Taskforce Horizon comprises a group of specialists that would continue the investigation into Gus’ disappearance until the case is solved

“It’s got expert field search co-ordinators, it’s got data analysts, it’s got other experts comprising this team and investigators,” he said.

The extended family of Gus said prior to the new search that they remained devastated by the events.

“This has come as a shock to our family and friends, and we are struggling to comprehend what has happened. 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.”

Mr Stevens said the tragedy had taken an emotional toll on the family but they were holding up as best they could.

“I would describe them as stoic,” Mr Stevens said.

“But you can imagine just how they are feeling, without having Gus and without having answers to exactly where Gus is and what’s happened to him.

“This would be traumatic for any family.”