The major land and air search for missing two-year-old Emile in a hamlet in the French Alps has been called off after four days as investigators say they are moving to a second “phase” of the operation.
Local prosecutor Remy Avon said the search did not yield any clues to solving the mystery of the boy’s disappearance and instead, investigators will now shift their focus to evaluating evidence already gathered.
He added: “The investigation into the causes of his disappearance will continue, notably through analysis of the considerable amount of information and elements gathered over four days.”
Emile was last seen playing in the garden of a property in Le Vernet in the Alpes-de-Haute department of Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, with his grandparents notifying the police of his disappearance at around 5.15pm local time on Saturday.
Police added on Wednesday that at least 10 people were present at the property where Emile was last seen amidst a family reunion, with “several uncles and aunts of the child, of all ages, including some minors”, a police source said.
