THE wife of a man missing in Bright still holds out hope he will be found safe and well.
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John West was last seen in the town about 10am Thursday, and an extensive search with 18 rescue personnel, a helicopter and a rescue dog had failed to find the 74-year-old yesterday.
The search continued until nightfall yesterday.
Helen West said her husband, who has dementia, diabetes and recently had a bladder cancer operation, could be anywhere in the region.
“I don’t know what else we can do,” she said.
“A good Samaritan could have offered him a lift and dropped him off in Myrtleford or Wangaratta, who knows?
“We’re more concerned because he has recently had an operation and he could be quite disoriented.”
A search crew combed through thick scrub yesterday, and Sen-Sgt Doug Incoll said a search line had covered about two kilometres of land to the east of Hawthorn Lane.
“It’s a big area ... and it’s a line search so it’s slow work,” he said.
“People with dementia have certain traits when they go missing.
“He has only lived in Bright for six months, so the line search will be focusing on one of his regular destinations.”
Mr West was staying at Hawthorn Village in Cobden Street after his operation.
Sen-Sgt Incoll said police would revisit their strategy, with plans to search waterways today.
“We are generally concerned about his safety and welfare and we are putting in a concerted effort,” he said.
“If the search extends beyond today, it will involve revisiting what we have done by door knocking all of Bright and checking backyards.
“Then we will move on to checking Morses Creek and the Ovens River that run through the middle of Bright.”
Thursday’s search was initially conducted within a 300-metre radius of the nursing home, including every house, shed and backyard.
Line search crews yesterday revisited Hawthorn village in the morning before covering two kilometres from the end of Hawthorn Lane up to Ovens River and Germantown Road.
Any sightings of Mr West should be reported to triple-0 or Bright police.
Mr West is described as being about 180 centimetres tall with a medium, stooped build, balding and clean shaven.
He also walks with a shuffle.
He is believed to be wearing a white checked shirt, cream pants and possibly a green cap.