Sandstone search suspended
The search for two prospectors missing near Sandstone has been suspended.
Raymond Keith Kehlet, 47, and his wife Jennie Anne, 49, were last seen at an area known as Table Top on March 22.
Mounted police, officers from nearby police stations, career firefighters and State Emergency Services volunteers from across the State were deployed on April 1 in an effort to find the couple.
A helicopter and fixed-wing aircraft with infrared technology were also sent to provide aerial surveillance of the bushland surrounding the Kehlets' last known location.
But with the couple missing for more than two weeks as of yesterday, police suspended the search this afternoon.
Sandstone is an area known for gold mining and prospecting and police yesterday extended the search for the Kehlets to include abandoned or disused mine shafts.
It is unknown whether the Kehlets were carrying food and water when they left their campsite last month.
SES volunteers and police search for missing prospectors Raymond and Jennie Kehlet. Picture: Seven News
Prospector Nigel Heald, who lives in Esperance but has scoured the country around Sandstone since 1979, said the landscape was covered with dense vegetation and people could easily become disoriented if they left their campsite.
He also described the land as arid and said water was usually scarce in the absence of heavy rainfall.
"If there's been no storms going through the chances of them finding water are pretty remote - the only time there's any water in any of the creeks is after winter rains or thunderstorms," he said.
Mrs Kehlet is described as fair- skinned, with a medium build, about 157cm tall, with brown hair and green eyes and she was last seen wearing a yellow florescent coloured work shirt.
Mr Kehlet was last seen wearing all blue and is fair-skinned with a medium build, about 170cm tall and has brown hair and blue eyes.
Police said while the search was suspended inquiries woulkd continue into the missing couple.
If anyone has any information about the Kehlets or their whereabouts, they are asked to call Crime Stoppers 1800 333 000 or police on 131 444.
