<\/p>\n
Bill Harbison read a statement on behalf of the missing boy’s family. (ABC News: Daniel Taylor)<\/p>\n
Mr Harbison, who went to school with Gus’s grandparents, said the family was “deeply distressed” and “incredibly grateful” for the efforts of police, emergency services, organisations and community members who had all “come together to help look for Gus”.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt this time, we kindly ask for privacy as we focus all our energy on supporting the search and working closely with the police,” he said.<\/p>\n
“Thank you for respecting our wishes and for continuing to keep Gus in your thoughts.”<\/p>\n
Police said more than 100 people were involved in the search effort, and praised the family and locals who have helped to guide its “methodical” approach which included people on the ground as well as a police helicopter, drones, sniffer dogs, water operations, motorbikes and thermal imaging.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Superintendent Mark Syrus says police are yet to uncover any clues in their search for Gus. (ABC News: Daniel Taylor)<\/p>\n
Superintendent Mark Syrus, officer in charge of the Yorke and Mid North region, said no clues had been found in the desperate hunt for Gus.<\/p>\n
“What we are really trying to find is some type of clue to where, what direction he was travelling in,” he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cOnce we find that clue then that just gives us an area that we can cover.”<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Police described the terrain as “undulating” and as being characterised by bluebush. (ABC News: Daniel Taylor)<\/p>\n
He said that without any signs the search was covering all directions across a vast area.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe area here is really vast and while it\u2019s all low lying and undulating, you just need to go over a little crest and you can actually disappear,” he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s such a big area and probably the frustrating thing for us is we actually haven\u2019t got a direction of travel, so we\u2019ve got to cover off on a 360 degree area as opposed to a direction of travel that he might have been walking in when he was last seen.”<\/p>\n
Police previously said the sprawling 6,000 hectare property was “very isolated”, with about 3,000 sheep, while goats, kangaroos and wallabies could also be found in the area.<\/p>\n
Superintendent Syrus said given more than 60 hours had passed since Gus vanished, concern was rising.<\/p>\n
“It is starting to concern us but that doesn’t diminish our hopes that we actually do find him and then get him to some medical facilities as quickly as possible,” he said.<\/p>\n
He said police would continue searching into the night and into tomorrow, while “throwing everything” at the effort, and said their “best asset is having people on the ground”.<\/p>\n
“We are hoping that he’s just crawled up underneath a bush somewhere and just stayed put and just conserving some energy,” Superintendent Syrus said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe human body is an amazing thing and we are hoping that he\u2019s just stayed put, keeping out of the sun.<\/p>\n
“Last night was milder weather which was positive and today\u2019s weather it\u2019s a bit cooler and that really does assist our search teams.”<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Water operations police are assisting in the search south of Yunta for missing four-year-old boy Gus.\u00a0 (ABC News: Daniel Taylor)<\/p>\n
Superintendent Syrus reiterated that it was not suspected anyone had taken the boy from the remote area.<\/p>\n
“All this is, is just a young four-year-old lad who has just wandered off and that\u2019s where we are concentrating our search efforts at this point in time,” he said.<\/p>\n
Police had previously said Gus had been playing in the sand, but had vanished when his grandmother went to find him.<\/p>\n
\u201cGus was just outside at the front of the property, had his little shovel in his hand and just playing in a mound of dirt, as young four-year-olds often do,” Superintendent Syrus told ABC Broken Hill.<\/p>\n
Police said Gus was a Caucasian with long blonde curly hair who was wearing a grey sun hat, cobalt blue short with a yellow ‘Minion’ on the front, light grey long pants and boots when he vanished.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
SA Police have released an image of a ‘Minion’ shirt which is similar to the one four-year-old Gus was wearing when he went missing. (Supplied: SA Police)<\/p>\n