Drones, tide analysis to be used as search continues for Dylan Driessens

Drones will be brought in after personal items belonging to missing man Dylan Driessens were discovered in sand dunes on the Fraser Coast at the weekend. Here is the latest:

Drones will be used to continue the search for a missing Hervey Bay man Dylan Driessens after personal items belonging to him were found at the beach at Urangan on the weekend.

Mr Driessens, 23, was reported missing in late June, and despite extensive searches of the Urangan area where he was last seen, no traces of him have been found.

On the weekend, the search ramped up, with members of the police force, including the dog squad, and State Emergency Services crews combing the Urangan shoreline and nearby bushland.

Inspector Paul Algie said on the weekend items were found in the sand dunes at Urangan, including Dylan’s phone, clothing and an empty rum bottle.

A kick board that Dylan was believed to have been carrying was not recovered.

The personal items were shown to his family, who confirmed the items belonged to him.

Drones will now be used to do aerial surveillance of the area and analysis of the tides will also be carried out in an effort to find Dylan.

“We obviously hold very grave fears for Mr Driessens’ safety,” Insp Algie said.

He said there would be analysis of the phone in an effort to uncover more clues as to Dylan’s whereabouts and at this stage there were no plans to scale back the search.

Members of the SES prepare for the search for Dylan Driessens at Urangan on the weekend.

Insp Algie said Dylan’s family was “very distressed”.

“They are grateful that these items have been located and it gives us more information from which to conduct the search, but they are obviously very distressed, which is understandable.”

The discovery of his personal items did narrow down the area that was being searched, especially as an extensive search of the area around Hervey Bay Botanical Gardens had been completed.

Police would continue the search along the shore front all the way to Gatakers Bay.

Dylan was last seen on June 24, 2022, about 3pm walking along a bike path towards Elizabeth St, Urangan.

Since then, his family has launched a desperate search, with his brother Joel speaking to The Chronicle last month to ask the community to help bring Dylan home.

He was last seen walking towards Urangan Pier wearing a black beanie, green hoodie, black jean shorts and grey and white joggers.

Dylan is described as caucasian in appearance, about 175cm tall with a proportionate build, light brown hair, blue eyes and tattoos on his hands.

Anyone with information can contact Policelink on 131 444.