How the Rovers searched for Jonathan Hannaford...
"The case came with some challenges," Harry Blackmore says.
Members of the Rovers Search and Rescue faced challenges searching for the missing Jonathan Hannaford, including spontaneous volunteers, and a large area to cover with very little to go on.
Harry Blackmore, team co-ordinator for Rovers Search and Rescue, said his members began a search in the area of the Outer Ring Road and Pippy Park on Sunday after a Royal Newfoundland Constabulary officer located the 34-year-old's car on the side of the highway.
"First thing that comes to us is, which way did he go? North, south, east or west?" Blackmore told CBC News Wednesday.
"Right there and then we didn't know if he was lost, just missing, strolled off, hurt himself or whatever. So, we decided to take our main area, split it in both areas and go from there."
When the team was called in by the RNC, Blackmore said they had little more than a photo and an age to go on to find Hannaford.
Jonathan's father Brian Hannaford couldn't provide a description of what his son may have been wearing the day he went missing.
"[Searchers] will walk every single trail that they can find, every trail that shoots off it, to find out where they may have went to find clues," Blackmore said.
"The problem was we couldn't find any clues that he had, because at that time, we didn't know if he had anything with him."
Desperate to find his son, Brian Hannaford offered a $2,000 reward to anyone who found Jonathan. Despite the good intentions, Blackmore said that complicates search efforts.
'Glad he's safe and sound'
"We have to confirm or deny all the material or people who are in [the search area] that we're not looking for," he said.
"It makes it very hard for police dog services because you're in looking for one person, you might find 15 - but it's none of the people you're looking for."
Blackmore said they spoke to a few people who believed they had met Hannaford in the area, which is popular for people hiking or walking their dogs. By the time the Rovers got to the area, they couldn't find a trace of the missing man.
"I'm glad he's out ... glad he's safe and sound," the experienced searcher said.
"We didn't find him, but he did get out and get out on his own. That's fine with me."
Rovers Search and Rescue is a volunteer non-profit organization.
View the original article at http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/how-the-rovers-searched-for-jonathan-hannaford-1.3204699
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