Police will continue to scour the bush today for a Sydney man missing for over a week in the Kanangara Boyd National Park, but, are warning members of the public that only skilled bushwalkers should volunteer to join the search due to the dangerous terrain in the area.
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Sevak Simonian, 21, has not been seen since he left his parents' home at Belrose in Sydney's north about 8pm on October 20.
His parents reported him missing to police, and his friends then came forward saying he was headed to the Kanangra-Boyd National Park near Oberon.
His car was found in the Kanangra Walls Road car park on October 24.
Oberon SES controller Craig Gibbons said the Oberon unit was co-ordinating the search from the command centre at Kanangra Walls under the guidance of Bathurst Police Rescue.
“Because of the remote location and terrain, our local knowledge of the area has been helpful in a co-ordinating role,” he said.
Local police, SES, RFS and Ambulance personnel along with other volunteers will head back into the bush to continue searching for Mr Simonian about 9am on Thursday.
Police investigating Mr Simonian’s disappearance are still appealing for anyone with information about his whereabouts or last known movements to come forward.
Meanwhile police have concerns for the welfare of anyone planning to conduct their own searches for Mr Simonian. Inspector Mark Wall from Chifley Local Area Command has urged members of the public to think twice before travelling to the search area.
“I know this is an emotional time and people want to do everything they can to find Sevak, however, I have serious concerns for the welfare and safety of community members who are planning to come to the area and conduct their own searches,” he said.
“The area where the search is being conducted is considered very difficult terrain. We conduct searches with expertly trained and qualified officers who are prepared with a full range of survival equipment."
Any volunteers who wish to assist should be willing to declare their previous bushwalking experience to police. Volunteers should be very experienced bushwalkers only and must supply their own equipment.
Any assisting volunteer will be tasked to search with an experienced searcher, who will be allocated by the search coordinator. Due to the very difficult terrain, all volunteers must have a very high level of fitness.
Any person who is intending to assist should come to the Kanangara Wall Road car park at the Kanangara National Park prior to midday on any day they attend.
They should firstly report to the search coordinator on site prior to undertaking any searching.
The warning follows a public appeal by entrepreneur and adventurer Dick Smith for bosses to give workers time off so they can assist the search for Mr Simonian.
Mr Smith said that, from speaking to police, it is understood 25 skilled bushwalkers were helping with the search effort but he said there needed to be more.
"The best way to find someone who is lost in the bush is to have lots of people walking in the bush. If you're a bushwalker, a canyoner or a rock climber, get in touch with the police and offer the fact that you could go and also for bosses to give them the time off," he said.
Police are urging anyone with information in relation to this incident to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or use the Crime Stoppers online reporting page.
