Massive search for Cortney Lake comes up empty-handed

After two days scouring an abandoned farmin Bellevue, police and searchers did notfind CortneyLake or any evidence relating to her disappearance.

Five search and rescue teams with 122 people fanned out into the fields of Smallwood Farm, looking for any clues aboutthe 24-year-old mother's suspected homicide.

In the end, the searchturned up nothing.

"I know a lot of the province are looking for answers and waiting for answers on this," said Royal Newfoundland Constabulary Sgt. Paul Didham."We are too, so if anybody has any more information out there that can assist us on this file, please give us a call."

Lake's aunt, Glenda Power, said the family was waiting, "stomach in knots," for the search to conclude.

In the waning daylight hours, Didham told reporters they had covered off the entire area, believed to be around 100 acres in total.

If anything turned up before the end of the day,searchers would be back on Sunday, he said. But that doesn't appear to be the case.

Search teams not giving up yet

Search co-ordinatorHarry Blackmoresaid if the RNCneed his men and womenagain, they'll be back but the impending winter may hamper future search efforts.

"If they call, we go," he said. "But if we're out here looking for evidence on the ground, and the snow has covered it, it's a waste of time for us to try to do it."

The crews spent about five days planning the search of the farm property, which included fields, forests and buildings.

"This is methodical, the way these searches are done," Didham said."[These searchers] arehighly trained.They're experienced. They're the best in the field at what they're doing.

"Every step that they take and every piece of earth that they move is done methodically. It's done piece by piece, which is a reason why it's taken two days to do this area."

The search was the result of new information obtained by police, but the RNC has not divulged what the tip was.

The farm was last used in 2014, but now sits empty atop a vista of Bellevue beach.

Didhampraised the people who helped search Friday and Saturday.

"It's a lot of people. It's a lot of commitment, and we really appreciate it andI'm sure the family appreciates it as well."