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The search for an Australian woman who went missing in Cape Breton Highlands National Park near Chéticamp, N.S., has been suspended.
Chris Bellemore, president of Cheticamp Search and Rescue, said RCMP told emergency workers and volunteers to stand down on Sunday, six days after their gruelling efforts to find Denise Ann Williams began.
More than 100 people have been looking for the 62-year-old, who was reported missing April 28 in “some of the most challenging terrain in Nova Scotia,” Bellemore told CBC’s Information Morning Cape Breton on Monday.
“We’re not always on trails. Most of the time we’re not. We’re in valleys. We’re in ravines. We’re walking through dense forested areas. We’re walking in areas where there’s a lot of windfalls, so it can be pretty challenging,” he said.
“Sometimes you can’t even see your feet from some of the small trees that are growing up and some of the debris that’s on the ground.”
Williams has not been heard from since April 15. Her rental car was found in the Parks Canada visitor centre lot near the head of the Acadian Trail, an 8.4-kilometre loop rated as “moderate” difficulty, according to the Parks Canada website.
RCMP described Williams as five feet four inches tall, with greyish-blond shoulder-length hair. Police said she was believed to be wearing a dark winter jacket, a powder blue tuque with “Antarctica” written on it, an orange and blue scarf and glasses.
RCMP Cpl. Mandy Edwards said the decision to suspend the search “followed six days of exhaustive air and ground efforts over extremely challenging terrain, during which no new information emerged to direct additional search activity.”
Williams was hiking alone on an “adventure” vacation, so it was probably not unexpected that she was out of touch with family for a couple of weeks, Edwards said.
RCMP tried to track her cellphone to trace her movements, but were not successful, she said.
Bellemore said search and rescue officials are not allowed to release details on what may or may not have been found.
He said the Cape Breton Highlands area involves steep climbs and boggy, wet sections, with some snow still trapped in north-facing forests.
Bellemore said despite the challenges, hope is what keeps searchers going.
“Our hearts go out to her family,” he said.
“It’s what’s motivating us to take time off work, to be out there, to be able to try to find a positive outcome to all this.
“It’s very physically and mentally straining on the people that are out there doing this work. That’s the primary thing for us, right. We want to be able to share what we can with the family.”
RCMP are continuing to ask the public for help, Edwards said.
“Any information that is received, it will be reviewed and search efforts can always continue if that information is determined to be fruitful,” she said.
They say anyone with tips should contact Inverness County District RCMP at 902-258-2213. Anonymous information can be shared with Nova Scotia Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
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