Police, SES volunteers search Cape York for missing mum Allison Bernard
Police and SES volunteers have spent more than two days searching rough terrain in Cape York in a bid to finally solve a tragic mystery. WATCH THE VIDEO
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POLICE say they "will not give up" their quest to find missing Cape York mum Allison Bernard - despite a new, extensive search finding nothing of interest in the eight-year-old mystery.
Fifty police and SES volunteers have scoured 8.5 square kilometres of rough terrain in Archer River, north of Coen, in a renewed bid to find answers for Ms Bernard's family and community.
The mum of two vanished from the Archer River quarry in February 2013.
The new search involved specialised drones as well as horses, quad bikes and nearly 20 four-wheel-drive vehicles.
Far North District Detective Acting Inspector, City and Torres Strait Crime Group, Kevin Goan said the search was the most sophisticated and targeted of its kind in the region, and while the search did not advance investigations, detectives would not be deterred.
“Across two and half days, close to 1000 search hours across arduous terrain was carried out, with SES volunteers from Cairns, Tablelands, Coen and Weipa offering their time and expertise,” Inspector Goan said.
“Drone technology, taking highly detailed imagery of the topography that was not available at the time of her disappearance was also used.
“We are determined to find Allison—for her family, her friends and for the wider community. Her disappearance has had a devastating impact here and we will not give up.
“We hold the gravest of fears for Allison, who would be 31 now, as she may only have had limited knowledge of the area where she went missing and has not made contact with loved ones and her bank accounts remain untouched.”
Inspector Goan renewed calls for the community to come forward with any information, no matter how small, to aid in the search for Ms Bernard.
Ms Bernard is Aboriginal, about 155cm tall, with a slim build and brown hair.
EARLIER: A new search for missing Cape York mum Allison Bernard will use hi-tech drones to scour the Archer River quarry where she disappeared eight years ago.
An inquest was originally planned for July but was delayed by Coroner Nerida Wilson after the court heard police wanted to take a fresh aerial scope of the remote scene during the dry season.
Ms Bernard vanished in February 2013 after spending the night with the quarry’s caretaker who she had met at a Coen hotel earlier that day.
Her family has long held the belief she met with foul play, although there is no suggestion the caretaker was involved and no charges have ever been laid.
Far North Det Acting Insp Kevin Goan said the drone search would be held in late August, before a larger team involving search co-ordinators, searchers and SES volunteers would be brought in about a month later to check any areas of interest flagged by the drones.
“We will be focusing on areas where (previous) searches have been less defined,” he said.
He said a Crime Stoppers team would also travel to the area at the same time to “raise community awareness” about the case and try to source further information from community members which would be given to police.
A new date for the inquest is yet to be set.
Originally published as Police, SES volunteers search Cape York for missing mum Allison Bernard
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