An intense four-week search by forensic crews has begun in bushland on the NSW mid-north coast for missing boy William Tyrrell, who disappeared from his grandmother’s yard nearly four years ago.
For the next four weeks, teams of experts, along with hundreds of emergency services workers will conduct a sweep around the Kendall property near Port Macquarie, where William was last seen on September 12, 2014.
The initial search focused only on finding the then-three year old and was not carried out with a view of deliberate human intervention, NSW Police said on Wednesday.
An intense four-week search by forensic crews has begun in bushland on the NSW mid-north coast for missing boy William Tyrrell
Dozens of police officers are pictured at the search site on Wednesday morning
William was playing in the yard of his foster grandmother’s home when he vanished.
Hundreds of locals and emergency services workers spent 10 days looking for him in the rural township, forests, creeks and paddocks to no avail.
The new search will coincide with William’s seventh birthday in two weeks’ time.
His foster family have never given up hope of finding William, and on Wednesday posted a message to social media.
William (pictured) was playing in the yard of his foster grandmother’s home when he vanished
‘Today marks 1370 heartbreaking days since William disappeared. William’s loved ones are, and will forever be indebted to the tremendous ongoing commitment of NSW Police; in particular, Strike Force Rosann who have been absolutely relentless in their ongoing investigation in the search for William.
‘Since that tragic day on Friday 12 September 2014, hearts across Australia have been broken, but we have and will continue to maintain unwavering faith in NSW Police and carry hope in our hearts that William will be found. He is in our hearts always… Always.’
The new large-scale search is being co-ordinated by search experts from the NSW Police public order and riot squad.
Lead investigator Detective Chief Inspector Gary Jubelin will address media at the site at 11am.
In 2016, the NSW government announced an unprecedented $1 million reward for information leading to William’s recovery.
Last year, on the third anniversary of his disappearance, his foster family maintained hope of finding him alive.
‘William, we will never stop loving you,’ they said in a statement in September 2017.
‘We will never stop looking for you.’