The discovery of a cap belonging to a man who had been missing for a week has given his family new hope they can find him, as police launch an appeal for a camper to come forward.
Jack McLennan, 27, was last seen in the Ficks Crossing area, 175 kilometers northwest of Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, on Friday, October 4.
He had been spending time with a friend but is believed to have left on foot between 8pm and 10pm that night.
A search was launched after she was reported missing on Sunday, which has now entered its fifth day.
Inspector Scott Stahlhut confirmed Thursday that officers found a pair of shoes McLennan is believed to have been wearing at the time of her disappearance.
Now, it has emerged that search teams also found a hat near McAlister and McLucas streets in the Flicks Crossing area, believed to belong to Mr McLennan.
Police are also appealing to anyone who may have witnessed Mr McLennan in the lead-up to his disappearance, particularly a person who was camping in the Ficks Crossing area during the time of his disappearance.
“The person police wanted to speak to was traveling in a dark-colored vehicle with a tent on the roof,” police said in a statement.
Mr McLennan is approximately 185cm tall, has light brown hair, brown eyes and was last seen wearing a black T-shirt and dark shorts.
Police have located a hat (pictured) in Murgon during the search for missing 27-year-old Sunshine Coast man Jack McLennan.
It comes after police released new CCTV captured hours before she was reported missing.
In the footage, Mr McLennan is seen in a bottle shop in Lamb Street in Murgon around 1.30pm on October 4, two days before she was reported missing.
He then got into a car with a friend with whom he spent the next few hours at Ficks Crossing before disappearing.
Inspector Stahlhut said the “promising” discoveries indicated McLennan had not strayed far, but reiterated that police still had serious “concerns for his well-being”.
“This type of behavior is very out of character,” he said.
The rescue operation was delayed due to heavy rain, which “affected our ability to move freely”, Inspt Stahlhut added.
New CCTV footage shows Jack McLennan, 27, hours before he went missing at Ficks Crossing, 175 kilometers northwest of the Sunshine Coast, on October 4.
Rescuers found what they believe to be McLennan’s shoe on Wednesday, reinvigorating their efforts.
“We had a lot of rain here last night and there are some waterway closures, so that’s having some impact on our search operations.”
Rescue efforts include specialized divers searching in and around Ficks Crossing, ground search teams and an aerial operation.
Police confirmed the search will continue into the weekend.
Mr McLennan is 185cm tall, has light brown hair, brown eyes and was last seen wearing a black T-shirt and dark shorts.
Signs installed along the Bunya Highway urge drivers to report any possible sightings of him in the area.
Locals have also been advised to check buildings and sheds on their properties in case McLennan manages to enter.
Anyone with information about Mr McLennan’s whereabouts is asked to come forward.
Police are also willing to speak to anyone who may have been in or near Ficks Crossing between 3:00 pm on October 4 and noon on October 5.
