Search underway for Yarmouth County man last seen early New Year's Day

Ground, water and aerial search crews are scouring parts of YarmouthCounty for a 21-year-old man who disappeared early New Year's Day.

Nova Scotia RCMPsay Zachery Lefavewas last spotted on Highway 334 in Plymouth around 12:30 a.m. on Jan. 1 and reported missing two hours later.

In a news release issued later that same day, RCMP described the missing man as five-foot-nine and 175 pounds with brown hair, brown facial hair and blue eyes. They said he was last seen wearinga hat, plaid shirt and shorts.

RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Lisa Croteau told CBC Sunday that the policelaunched an investigation on New Year's Day, and by the weekend had enlisted the help of several other agencies to search for Lefave.

YarmouthCounty Ground Search and Rescue joined the search on Saturday. On Sunday, a helicopter from the provincial Department of Lands and Forestry also joined the efforts, as well as boats and crews from the YarmouthFire Department.

The water search includedTusket River and Chebogue River, both closeto Highway 334 where Lefave was last seen.

Lefave was 20-years-old at the time of his disappearance. Sunday marked his 21st birthday.

Search to continue Monday

RCMP Cpl. Jeff Leblanc, theincident commander for the search who was in the search area Sunday, said more than 80 additional people joined the search effortbefore darkness fell. They planned to resume their efforts on Monday.

"Tomorrow we're going to be in the air again, in the water, but we're going to be focusing on [an] extensive search in the wooded area, doing lots of grid searching," Leblanc said in a phone interview.

So far, ground search efforts have covered about 25 kilometres, Leblanc said. He said some new ground would be covered Monday, and some areas would be revisited and searched in greater detail.

Leblanc said some "clues" had been found, like articles of clothing and other debris, but none that could be linked definitively to Lefave.

"No big developments, yet."

Leblanc said Lefavewas walking home from a party on the night of his disappearance.