NORTH WATERBORO — The search, by foot and by air, for a 15-year-old boy missing since mid-afternoon Thursday continued throughout Friday afternoon.

Help came from several quarters: There were 15-20 searchers from the Maine Warden Service combing the area, along with a dozen members of Waterboro Fire Department, several from Pine Tree Search and Rescue, a helicopter from the U.S. Border Patrol and a warden service aircraft, the York County Sheriff’s Office, along with folks who simply heard about the missing youth and decided they wanted to help.

Jaden Dremsa, who lives with his family at Twin Pines mobile home park off Route 5, was last seen at about 3 p.m. Thursday when he told his brother he was going for a walk. When he didn’t return by 4:15 p.m., family members called York County Sheriff’s Office. At 4:45 p.m., the sheriff’s office contacted the Maine Warden Service, since it was thought the boy, who has Asperger’s Syndrome, had gone walking into the woods.

Searchers worked all night, and more searchers arrived to help during the day. Dremsa is shy, his family said, and it is thought he might be reluctant to respond to those who are searching.

Jessie Howard, the boy’s aunt, said Friday afternoon that the family is hoping for his safe return.

“He’s a tough, strong kid,” she said. “He does enjoy hiking. We’re hoping he just wandered a little too far.”

Howard, an associate pastor at the Church on the Cape in Cape Porpoise, said many are praying for Dremsa.

“We’re sending up prayers,” she said. “We’ll take any prayers.”

At mid-day Friday, Maine Warden Service Cpl. John MacDonald estimated there were at least 50 people searching for the boy. As of press time Friday evening, he had not been located.

During a mid-day break, the command post at Lakeside Community Church was a sea of searchers waiting for their next assignment. Lt. Mike Fraser stood with his fellow members of Waterboro Fire Department. Fraser explained that the Maine Warden Service uses global positioning system coordinates to assign search areas. Then teams of searchers walk straight lines ”“ within site of each other ”“ inside of their assigned areas, as they conduct the search.

Searchers came from far and wide: Paul Magoon, of the Maine Search and Rescue Dogs organization, drove down from Harmony, in central Maine, with his labrador retriever search dog Sarde.

Others were from closer to home. Sanford land surveyor Steve Horne said he decided to pitch in when he heard about the missing boy.

“I figured they could use some help,” he said.

Dale Gagne had been out turkey hunting Friday morning and decided to pitch in when he heard the boy ”“ who is one of his neighbors ”“ was missing.

Dremsa is 5 feet 9 inches tall, 140 lbs., with shoulder length brown hair and blue eyes. It is believed he was wearing a black or dark-colored T-shirt, blue jeans and sneakers. MacDonald said his hair is longer than it appears in the photo released by the warden service.

Howard, the boy’s aunt, said the family is grateful for all those who have volunteered.

MacDonald said the Maine Warden Service planned an informational roadblock on Route 5 later Friday afternoon. Anyone with information as to Dremsa’s location or who might have seen him Thursday afternoon is asked to call the Public Safety Dispatch Center in Gray at 207-657-3030.

— Senior Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 324-4444 (local call in Sanford) or 282-1535, ext. 327 or twells@journaltribune.com.