Volunteer searchers looking for a missing 77-year-old Australian hiker in the hills above Pearl Ridge plan to focus their efforts today in a different direction based on information received yesterday.

Hawaiian Trail & Mountain Climbing Club search coordinator Mabel Kekina said Thursday's meeting on the trail between Jon Parsons and pighunter most likely occurred on a ridge of the east side of the Waimalu Ditch Trail rather than on the west side, where the search effort has been concentrating.

Police do not suspect foul play but the pighunter's directional information has been inconsistent, Kekina said. Based on what she heard yesterday from the pighunter, Kekina said the search effort will switch to the east side.