Justin Brad Hunter was last seen early Wednesday morning by friends. (RCMP)

A search is underway for a missing central P.E.I. man who police believe may have walked away from a crash early Wednesday morning.

RCMP Sgt. Andrew Blackadar said crews are looking for 32-year-old Justin Brad Hunter of Kinkora, whose car was discovered Wednesday afternoon by a trucker travelling along Route 225 — about 1.5 kilometres west of Kinkora.

A 2007 grey Mazda 6 was found on its roof, down an embankment.

Blackadar said there were footprints circling the vehicle, but the prints have since been covered with blowing snow and police are having a hard time determining which way the person travelled next.

RCMP checked with family and friends and have not been able to find Hunter, who was last seen Wednesday morning at 1 a.m. when his friends dropped him off at his home in Kinkora.

"As soon as we could, we got the ground search and rescue team there. They're going to deploy smaller, what they call hasty teams," Blackadar told CBC News.

"They're groups of three or four different searchers who will actually go out in the area and do a very cursory search of the area to look for any signs, any clues of where Mr. Hunter may be to see if they can find clothing, any more footprints, any indication at all which will lead us where we should go in the morning with our full ground search and rescue team."

Blackadar said officials are concerned for Hunter's well-being given the frigid temperatures.

Hunter is described as five feet eight inches tall, weighing 190 pounds with short brown hair, blue eyes and glasses.

Anyone with information on Hunter's whereabouts is asked to contact police.