In short:
A multi-agency search for an elderly man missing in Western Australia's south has been scaled back by police.
asserted
search → miss → police
James Ballantyne, 87, went missing on Saturday morning while out for a walk.
What's next?
asserted
What → go → walk
Authorities say there is only a slim hope of finding Mr Ballantyne alive, but local police will continue searching.
asserted
police → say → Ballantyne
A multi-agency search for a missing 87-year-old man in Western Australia's Wheatbelt region has been scaled back, six days after he failed to return from his morning walk.
asserted
he → miss → walk
James Ballantyne, who lives with dementia, was last seen near Leonora Street in Wagin, about 230 kilometres south-east of Perth, on Saturday.
asserted
who → live → Saturday
His disappearance sparked an extensive land and air search, with dozens of volunteers joining police to try to find him.
Their hopes were all but dashed on Thursday, with authorities significantly scaling back the operation.
asserted
authorities → spark → operation
Police used drones, a helicopter and plane to search for Mr Ballantyne, while his family organised tracker dogs and a private plane.
State Emergency Service volunteers from as far as Perth and Bunbury joined in, while others supported the search teams with food and supplies.
asserted
others → use → food
A large image of Mr Ballantyne was projected onto a sign in the middle of the town to try to elicit information about his whereabouts.
asserted
image → project → whereabouts
A small farming community, Wagin has a population of about 1,400 people with locals and those in surrounding areas quick to jump into action.
asserted
locals → have → action
"The community was just absolutely amazing, searching outside their houses, sheds, laneways," Great Southern Acting Inspector Craig Wasley told the ABC.
asserted
Wasley → search → ABC
Shire of Wagin acting president Bryan Kilpatrick similarly praised the support from the community.
asserted
Kilpatrick → act → community
"The good majority of the community has been involved in some way or another, whether it's been searching, providing food, providing support," he said.
asserted
he → involve → support
Community rocked
asserted
Community → rock → ?
Mr Kilpatrick said it was "devastating" to have no answers six days into Mr Ballantyne's disappearance.
asserted
it → say → disappearance
"It really rocks a community like this," he said.
asserted
he → rock → this
"Mr Ballantyne was a loved part of the community and his family are an important part of the shire, so it certainly has an impact."
asserted
it → love → impact
Mr Ballantyne's family declined to speak to media, but passed on a message via Acting Inspector Wasley who said they wished to thank everyone involved with the search.
"
asserted
they → decline → search
They're aware of the effort that has been put in, the people that have been involved, and they are absolutely amazed and appreciate the effort that everyone has put in, including the community," he said.
asserted
he → put → community
Scaling back
Acting Inspector Wasley said police and SES had searched the target area to a "high degree" and would be pulling back external resources.
asserted
police → scale → resources
"Air wing, police horses, all of those resources have returned to Perth, SES have returned to their home locations," he said.
asserted
he → return → locations
Authorities still hope to find Mr Ballantyne, though they have all but lost hope that he will be found alive.
asserted
he → hope → hope
"Look, the prospect of Jim being alive is probably not there anymore," Acting Inspector Wasley said.
"
asserted
Wasley → look → ?
The family are aware of that and they accept that.
asserted
they → accept → that
"Our aim is to find Jim and we will continue to search for him.
asserted
we → find → him
"The battle now becomes a local inquiry, so Wagin Police will continue with inquiries."
asserted
Police → become → inquiries
Anyone with information about Mr Ballantyne's whereabouts is urged to contact police.
asserted
Anyone → urge → police
The Aporia