Desperate search for eight-year-old boy who mysteriously vanished during a family holiday four days ago ramps up – but authorities fear they will only find his body
- Search for eight-year-old in Western Australia’s south is now a recovery mission
- Boy had been camping with family and reported missing on Sunday morning
- He is believed to have drowned in a kayaking accident after venturing off alone
- A specialist robotic camera will be used to search for his body underwater
The search for an eight-year-old boy believed to have been in a kayaking incident in a West Australian river is now a recovery mission.
A specialist robotic camera will be used to search for the body of an eight-year-old boy who is believed to have drowned while kayaking in Western Australia’s south.
The boy had been camping with family at Fernhook Falls near Walpole, about 400km southeast of Perth.
The search for an eight-year-old boy believed to have been in a kayaking incident in a West Australian river (pictured) is now a recovery mission
A land search including 60 State Emergency Service volunteers (pictured) has been suspended
He was reported missing from the campsite on Sunday morning, with police later saying he had been involved in a boating incident on the river.
A land search that spanned several days and involved more than 60 State Emergency Service volunteers has been suspended, and police are now focusing on recovering his body from the river.
Superintendent Kim Travers said the boy had ventured off alone near the top of the falls on Sunday morning.
The land search lasted several days with police now focusing on recovering his body from the river
Police divers are searching various sections of the river (pictured). Drones have also been deployed due to low visibility
He had earlier told his older brother he wanted to paddle through foam on the surface of the water but was told it was too dangerous.
‘The brother has heard him call out for help and immediately rushed down the little track … but he couldn’t see his brother,’ Supt Travers said.
‘What he did see was the little blue plastic kayak lodged in the tree that his brother had (carried) across.’
A short time later, his father located the boy’s jumper jammed underneath a rock.
The family had been staying in a cabin at the Mount Frankland National Park and had been kayaking over the weekend without any issues.
Police say the boy’s brother heard him call out but was unable to locate him, only finding a kayak lodged in a tree
‘They are a loving, caring, very close-knit family. This is a significant trauma for them,’ Supt Travers said.
Police divers have searched sections of the river and a drone has also been deployed to search the water, with visibility low after heavy recent rainfall. A specialist robotic camera will also be deployed.
The search area spans about 200 metres and includes rapids.
The family had been staying at a cabin in Mount Frankland National Park and had been kayaking without issue over the weekend
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