A missing Australian’s body could have been found 18 months earlier if searchers had not relied on incorrect Google Maps data, a coroner has said.

Darrell Simon, 46, was last seen in November 2014 at his partner’s house about 80km (50 miles) west of Brisbane.

Search crews scoured Mr Simon’s nearby rural property at the time, but his remains were not found there until May 2016. His death was ruled a suicide.

A printed map used by police showed incorrect boundaries on the property.

It meant that search volunteers covered only about half of Mr Simon’s property in Laidley Creek West, said Queensland deputy state coroner John Lock.

“The fact the ground search was conducted over only half the property was very regretful and should not have happened,” he said in his report completed last month.

https://techupdate.com.ng/2019/01/03/australian-police-google-maps-blunder-missed-location-of-body/