Volunteer Group Finds Two Missing People, Now Seeks Third

When Sue Ngan Wu opened her messages one May evening, she felt hope for the first time in months—a volunteer group wanted to search for her missing brother.

Michael Vrankovic, 58, disappeared from George Town in northern Tasmania in January 2026. His neighbor, who spoke with him almost daily, asked police to check on him when he didn't show up for their usual chats.

Police and emergency services searched for six weeks, using helicopters, mountain bikes, and foot patrols across the coastal town and surrounding bushland. They knocked on doors looking for security footage and scoured isolated tracks. But Michael, an avid bushwalker who loved peaceful, remote trails, remained missing.

That's when Find Our Lost Loved Ones (FOLLO) stepped in.

The volunteer group formed after dozens of people joined the search for Belgian tourist Celine Cremer, who went missing while hiking near Philosopher Falls in 2023. Their efforts led to the discovery of her remains in January, bringing her family desperately needed closure.

The Ripple Effect

The volunteers saw how much their work mattered, so they formalized as FOLLO to help other families. Their impact came swiftly. In just two days last May, they found human remains during their search for missing Scottsdale man Peter Willoughby.

"It had a profound impact," said Jon Edmunds, one of the volunteers. "They were straight away asking, 'When are we doing this again for someone else?'"

Now they're spending four months planning their search for Michael. They're debriefing after each mission, building a social media presence, and sourcing better equipment. Tasmania Police is collaborating with them on the upcoming effort.

Edmunds is clear-eyed about the challenges. "We've been fortunate enough to have success with two searches," he said. "We know that might not always be the case. But we'll put in our best, give it our best shot."

Sue describes her brother as shy and good-hearted, someone she only argued with "maybe two times" in her life. His incredible memory once led their trivia team to victory. She believes he was bushwalking when he disappeared, likely on isolated tracks where he could enjoy the quiet.

The months without answers have been terrible, she said, but the volunteers give her something precious: "They can't promise anything, but if anyone's got a chance of finding anything, I think they would."