Renewed ground and air search efforts for Lilly and Jack Sullivan are planned in Lansdowne Station, N.S., this weekend.

Lilly, six, and Jack, four, were last seen at their Gairloch Road home on May 2. They are believed to have wandered away from their rural residence.

An extensive search for the siblings that involved 160 volunteers and covered 5.5 square kilometres turned up no sign of the children.

Last week police scaled back search efforts, saying their was little chance the siblings were still alive.

According to an RCMP news release, ground and air search efforts are planned for Saturday. Searchers will focus on specific areas around Gairloch Road.

The public is asked to avoid the search area.

The RCMP’s underwater recovery team looked in bodies of water around Lansdowne Station on May 8 and 9, but did not uncover any evidence.

Jack and Lilly Sullivan who went missing near their home in Pictou County Friday are pictured.

Search efforts for two missing children in Nova Scotia are set to intensify today as authorities renew their ground and air operations in the hopes of finding six-year-old Lily Sullivan and her four-year-old brother Jack. The children were last seen near their rural home outside Chester Basin on Saturday afternoon, prompting a large-scale search and investigation that has now stretched into its fifth day.

Officials with the RCMP confirmed early this morning that new search patterns and expanded resources would be deployed throughout the day, with the objective of re-examining previously covered areas and extending the radius of the operation. The renewed search will involve more than 100 personnel from multiple agencies, including ground search and rescue units, canine teams, mounted officers, and specialized air surveillance crews equipped with drones and thermal imaging cameras.

RCMP Superintendent Lisa MacPherson briefed reporters at a command post outside Chester Basin, assuring the public that search teams are working tirelessly and that no possibility is being ruled out. “We remain committed to finding Lily and Jack,” she said. “Every avenue is being explored, and we are continuing to treat this as a missing persons case while remaining alert to the possibility of foul play or an abduction scenario.”

MacPherson acknowledged the deepening anxiety within the community and the children’s family. “We understand the community wants answers,” she said. “This is an ongoing and evolving situation. We are leaving no stone unturned, and we continue to appeal to anyone who may have seen or heard anything suspicious on Saturday or since.”

The children’s mother, Amanda Sullivan, made an emotional statement late Tuesday evening, pleading for help and thanking the community for its support. “We just want them home. If you know something, please come forward. Anything, even the smallest detail, could help us find Lily and Jack.”

Witness accounts suggest the children were last seen playing near a wooded trail behind their property around 3:30 p.m. Saturday. After they did not return within the hour, the family began searching and contacted authorities. Since then, extensive search operations have been carried out, covering more than 40 square kilometers of dense forest, wetlands, and surrounding farmland.

The terrain surrounding Chester Basin poses several challenges for search crews. Officials have described the area as “dense and unpredictable,” with limited visibility and uneven footing. Search teams have reported difficulty navigating through thick brush and steep inclines, while intermittent rain and low overnight temperatures have complicated efforts further.

Today’s renewed efforts will incorporate the use of both fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters provided by the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre. These will work alongside drones with infrared capabilities, which have already been deployed to scan thick foliage and poorly lit areas that may shelter someone from view. Divers have also been sent to nearby lakes and streams, with sonar equipment aiding underwater searches.

The command post has also expanded its coordination with psychological and behavioral experts, including child specialists who have advised on how young children might behave in stressful or isolated conditions. Based on expert guidance, items such as favorite toys and clothing with familiar scents have been placed in key locations in the hope of drawing the children out if they are hiding or disoriented.

Despite exhaustive efforts, authorities have yet to discover any confirmed trace of Lily or Jack. Footprints and a torn piece of fabric found Monday morning near a logging road were initially thought to be potential leads, but RCMP have since stated the evidence is inconclusive and undergoing forensic analysis.

Investigators have interviewed dozens of local residents and are examining all possible leads. So far, they have not confirmed whether any person of interest has been identified. Officers have canvassed homes within a 10-kilometer radius of the Sullivan home, reviewed hours of surveillance footage from rural roads, and called on the public to submit dashcam or home security recordings from the day of the disappearance.

RCMP officers have also spoken with known hikers, hunters, and forestry workers who may have passed through the area during the relevant timeframe. Flyers and photographs of the children have been distributed in Chester Basin and surrounding communities, as well as posted widely online through social media channels.

The children’s school, which was closed Monday and Tuesday out of respect for the family, reopened Wednesday with grief counselors on site. Classmates and teachers gathered in a moment of silence, and local churches have held vigils, drawing hundreds of residents who came to offer prayers and support.

The broader community has rallied behind the search effort, with dozens of volunteers joining coordinated search groups under the supervision of trained rescue leaders. Donations of food, warm clothing, batteries, and other supplies have poured into the command post, while nearby hotels have offered free rooms to out-of-town responders.

The missing children’s extended family, many of whom have traveled to Chester Basin from other parts of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, are staying nearby and assisting however they can. In a statement to reporters, Robert Sullivan, the children’s father, said: “We’re devastated. But we are not giving up hope. Every hour that passes is hard, but we believe they’re out there, and we will find them.”

While officials continue to treat the case as a missing persons search, they emphasize that the investigation has two branches running simultaneously: search and rescue, and criminal investigation. RCMP representatives say there is currently no physical evidence indicating foul play, but investigators are not excluding that possibility.

A public tip line remains open 24/7, and police are asking residents to report any potential information or unusual observations from the past week. Authorities have warned against the spread of false information online, stressing that speculation on social media has already led to confusion and time lost in the search effort.

The provincial government has expressed full support for the ongoing operation. Premier Tim Houston released a statement Tuesday saying, “Our hearts are with the Sullivan family and the entire Chester Basin community. We are grateful to the search teams and volunteers working tirelessly in this urgent effort. The province stands ready to provide any additional support needed.”

As the search enters another critical day, the collective hope remains that Lily and Jack are still alive and will be found. The RCMP has stated they are not placing any limits on how long the search will continue. “As long as there’s a chance they’re out there, we will keep looking,” said Superintendent MacPherson.

With the addition of new personnel, improved coordination, and fresh determination, today’s renewed search offers another chance to bring the Sullivan children home—and to provide answers to a family and community gripped by fear, love, and unwavering hope.