Search for man missing in East Arnhem Land ends after nine days

After a nine-day effort, the search for a missing 31-year-old man in East Arnhem Land has ended due to a lack of leads. The man was last seen at 6am on Friday, May 22 and reported missing to police later that night. What's next? NT police have said the disappearance is not being treated as suspicious nor is there evidence of "third-party involvement". The search for a missing 31-year-old man in remote East Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory has been stood down after a nine-day operation where more than 1,300 square kilometres were surveyed. The man, whose family have asked the media not to name, was reported missing by his family on Friday, May 22, after he failed to return to Yirrkala in East Arnhem Land that night as planned. "[He] had not been seen since 6am that morning," NT police said in a statement. In the days since, multiple agencies have been involved in a large-scale land and air search for the missing man. "NTPF Search and Rescue members, local police, NT Emergency Service, NT Fire and Rescue Service, Dhimurru Rangers, Yirralka Rangers, NORFORCE and Nautilus Helicopters were all mobilised," NT police said. During that search, NT police said the man's vehicle was located about 86 kilometres south of Nhulunbuy along the Central Arnhem Highway, but that there was "no confirmed sightings or evidence of his location identified". NT police have said his disappearance was not being treated as suspicious nor was there evidence of "third-party involvement", but that "investigations into the disappearance remain ongoing". "Police will assess any new information received and will consider recommencing search operations should credible information comes to light." Acting Senior Sergeant Matt Hall said the lack of any leads in the case after nine days led to police deciding to begin the "demobilisation of the search" yesterday. "Our teams covered approximately 1,311 [square kilometres] of terrain, the majority by helicopter, with key areas searched multiple times," he said. "Family liaison was maintained throughout the operation, with the next of kin regularly briefed on search progress." The acting senior sergeant extended his thanks to the multiple organisations that also provided support during the search operation. "Police would also like to acknowledge and thank Parks Australia, the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, Rio Tinto, community volunteers, chartered aviation companies, Miwatj Aboriginal Corporation and Laynhapuy Homelands Aboriginal Corporation for their assistance during the search," he said.