Race to find autistic teen missing in freezing cold on Mount Disappointment - The Age

One of the volunteer searchers Mark, from Broadford, who did not want his surname published, said he had spoken to Will's stepfather on Tuesday.

"[He was] confident the kid would have been alright and seems to think he headed downhill at good speed," he said.

William Callaghan, 14, was last seen on the south side of Mount Disappointment's summit about 2.20pm on Monday, the Queen's Birthday public holiday.Credit:Police Media

Mark decided to join the search after hearing the news overnight. "I used to work in forestry and helped to build the walking tracks to the summit," he said.

"I know all these tracks quite well so I thought I could be of some use."

It would be "very, very easy" to get lost in the dense bush, he said.

"It's as rugged bushland as anywhere in Victoria. Fortunately, it’s not huge but it’s thick and hard to see because it’s fire regrowth. Hopefully we get some good news today."

SES volunteers searching thick bushland for William Callaghan.Credit:Chris Hopkins

Other searchers entered the bush on horseback, calling out "Will" as they made their way through the thick undergrowth. Police dog Ollie has also been searching the trails for the young teen.

Police have set up a marshalling area at Blair's Hut, on Disappointment Road, where a large fire was keeping those on the ground warm on Tuesday morning, as the temperature hovered around 10 degrees.

Overnight temperatures in these parts plunge below zero.

Locals join the search on Tuesday.Credit:Chris Hopkins

Police and volunteers spent the freezing night trekking through the bush, with some on horseback and others on motorbikes, in an area where authorities have previously struggled to find missing people. They also scoured the thick vegetation from the sky.

"There's no sugar-coating it," Senior Sergeant Greg Paul said. "It was a very cold night last night, life-threateningly cold."

"We're fighting against time … We don't want to have someone out here [for] multiple nights.

"We're pulling out every stop to find this young fellow … we really don't want this to turn badly."

The police search base near Blair's Hut.Credit:Chris Hopkins

Police said Will's family was "quite upset" but handling the situation well in the harrowing circumstances. They have been searching since he went missing.

Will has the ability to wander long distances and is food- and drink-focussed. For this reason, police have asked local residents to check whether the boy snuck into their homes, or out outhouses, looking for food and shelter.

Sergeant Paul said Will may have tried to protect himself from the extreme cold by ensconcing himself in the undergrowth.

Police remain positive because Tuesday's sunny forecast will make conditions more bearable.

"It's hard going. It's steep terrain," Sergeant Paul said, noting it had taken long periods of time to find other missing people in the area in the past.

"There's a lot of area here to get lost."

Much of Tuesday's search will be concentrated around the summit of the mountain.

SES searching in dense forest for William Callaghan on Tuesday morning.Credit:Chris Hopkins

Will taps his chest and makes noises to communicate. He understands verbal communication from others and police are advising anyone who approaches him to do so calmly.

The boy was travelling in a southerly direction and had several kilometres to walk until he might have encountered farmland.

Anyone who sees Will is urged to call triple zero (000).

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https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMijAFodHRwczovL3d3dy50aGVhZ2UuY29tLmF1L25hdGlvbmFsL3ZpY3RvcmlhL3JhY2UtdG8tZmluZC1hdXRpc3RpYy10ZWVuLW1pc3NpbmctaW4tZnJlZXppbmctY29sZC1vbi1tb3VudC1kaXNhcHBvaW50bWVudC0yMDIwMDYwOS1wNTUwcW0uaHRtbNIBjAFodHRwczovL2FtcC50aGVhZ2UuY29tLmF1L25hdGlvbmFsL3ZpY3RvcmlhL3JhY2UtdG8tZmluZC1hdXRpc3RpYy10ZWVuLW1pc3NpbmctaW4tZnJlZXppbmctY29sZC1vbi1tb3VudC1kaXNhcHBvaW50bWVudC0yMDIwMDYwOS1wNTUwcW0uaHRtbA?oc=5

2020-06-09 03:29:04Z
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