Search and rescue teams are racing against time to find a 27-year-old man who was reported overdue after failing to complete the Arthur Traverse in Tasmania’s south-west.
The man began the challenging 72-kilometre track alone last Tuesday and was reported missing by friends on Monday night.
Inspector Colin Riley said today is a “critical day” for teams on the ground and in the air combing the area.
“He could still be overdue, but basically by nightfall tonight, we need to have located the walker,” Riley told Local Radio.
“We’ve got helicopter resources, which were deployed all day yesterday along the track. It’s operating today again from the Tahune helipad.”
“Effectively, we’re walking the length of the track and we’re also using the helicopter to clear a certain distance on either side of the track, which is what we started to do midday yesterday as well.”
Police have an image of the man from a Parks and Wildlife camera at Luckmans Lead, west of Geeveston, from last Thursday, showing him carrying a green two-person tent.
They also have his last text message sent on Friday.
“We’ve got that line in the sand,” Riley said. “Now we’re concentrating our search between that point and the end of the walk.”
“Unfortunately … the walker is alone. He’s not carrying a personal locator beacon nor a sat phone and he has a mobile phone, but there’s poor mobile phone coverage in the area.”
The man is an experienced bushwalker, having completed the Western Arthur Range with another person last year and is thought to have some military training.
“He is equipped and there’s really good prospects today, if he’s on the track, that he will be located,” Riley said.
“We’ve got police at the end point and we’ve also got police at the start of the walk as well.”
