'Foul play' suspected as fears grow over missing Victorian man

Detectives have launched a fresh appeal to locate a missing man who they believe met with "foul play" in regional Victoria.

John Swiety, 57, was last seen near the Ironbark Track in Goongerah, about 441km from Melbourne, on March 17.

Investigators believe Swiety and another man, 47, described as an "associate", left Morwell early that morning and travelled together in a white Toyota HiAce van near the Ironbark Track.

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Swiety left the van on foot about 8am to canvas the nearby surroundings, leaving his two small terrier dogs inside the van, police said.

He hasn't been seen since.

The second man was found by local deer hunters about 6am the next day after he became bogged on a muddy track about 30 kilometres south-east of Ironbark Track.

The 47-year-old Morwell man has been interviewed by detectives a number of times.

Concerns were first raised about his disappearance when his two small terriers were found by a passerby wandering near Bonang Highway, north of Orbost, on March 18.

His sister was notified after authorities checked the dogs' microchips.

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Missing Persons Squad Detective Inspector David Dunstan said Swiety's disappearance was "out of character".

"Over the last three months, both Missing Persons Squad and local detectives have made a significant number of enquiries in order to try and establish John's whereabouts, however, we haven't been able to locate him," he said.

Swiety was officially reported missing on March 22.

His brother Les said family members had been "distraught".

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Les said he had "certain suspicions" about what exactly happened when his dogs were found.

"Straightaway the light bulb came on. Those dogs were his world, he took them everywhere with him and they were never without him," he said.

Investigators are treating the disappearance as suspicious and would like to speak to anyone who saw a white van travelling that day between Morwell and Goongerah.

Swiety is described as being about 170cm tall and of Caucasian appearance with short brown hair.

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