Missing couple's family call for help
Relatives of a missing prospector whose husband's body was found at the bottom of a northern Goldfields mine shaft are desperate for authorities to resume a search for her.
Mystery surrounds the fate of Jennie Kehlet after her husband Raymond was found dead on April 8 during an extensive search for the Beverley couple about 30km south of Sandstone, days after they were last seen alive at their campsite.
Police yesterday refused to say how Mr Kehlet died or whether tests had determined exactly when he died.
Major crime division Detective Superintendent Anthony Lee said police had not found any evidence of criminality in his death, but inquiries were ongoing.
Police believe Mrs Kehlet had taken prospecting equipment - including a metal detector, GPS device, ropes and chains - from the camp before she and her husband vanished and none of the items had been found during an extensive land search of the 11sqkm area surrounding their camp.
Det-Supt Lee said the gear was quite heavy and he believed Mrs Kehlet would have discarded them if she had been wandering disoriented.
He urged anyone who had been in the area in the past weeks to call police if they had found any similar items.
No prospecting equipment was found with Mr Kehlet's body.
Relatives of the couple yesterday pleaded for information and urged anyone who had been around Sandstone last month to contact police.
Mrs Kehlet's son Darcy, Mr Kehlet's stepson, said he was still hoping for a good outcome with his mum, but the families had many unanswered questions.
"We've had devastating news with Ray and that's hard to deal with, but unfortunately the unknown with mum as well, it's just adding to this," he said.
Mr Kehlet's brother Malcolm and daughter Charmaine said they hoped the search would be resumed to find Mrs Kehlet.
"You can come up with 1001 scenarios and really, we're probably never going to have an answer until we find Jennie and what we're doing today is emphasising that we need to find Jennie," he said.
He said the couple had been happily married for eight years and were inseparable.
Mr Kehlet's remains were found at the bottom of a 12m mine shaft about 1.8km from the couple's campsite.
They were last seen by a friend on March 22 at an area known as Table Top, but a search was not launched until several days later on March 31 after their loyal great Dane wandered into Sandstone Caravan Park and inquiries led Shire authorities to the couple's abandoned campsite.
Det-Supt Lee said there were more than 140 mine shafts in the search area, many with water at the bottom.
"You can become easily disorientated in that area - because of the undulation of the ground there are very few landmarks," he said.
"If you haven't been there regularly it is very easy to become lost."
It was the couple's first prospecting trip, but they were experienced campers and travellers and they had taken all the correct safety equipment.
Police want to speak to anyone who was in the Sandstone area, or has knowledge of anyone who was in the Sandstone area, between March 18 and March 31.
Anyone who has found discarded prospecting items is also urged to call police so they can determine if they belong to the couple.
Det-Supt Lee said the incident was a reminder that the Sandstone area and other remote places in WA were very harsh and unforgiving environments.
"We encourage all persons travelling in these areas to be well planned and resourced for the conditions," he said.
"In the event you become lost or are unable to proceed due to a breakdown or other event, you should remain with your vehicle."
