Army joins search for missing Kerry farmer Michael Gaine

Tomas Doherty

The Army has been brought in to help search for missing farmer Michael Gaine in Co Kerry.

Mr Gaine (56) was last seen buying phone credit at a Centra near Kenmare on Thursday, March 20th.

He is described as being approximately 5ft 10in, of a stocky build, with brown/grey hair and a bushy beard.

When last seen, he was wearing an orange woolly hat, black fleece, blue jeans and black boots.

Mr Gaine left in his bronze-coloured RAV4 registration 152 KY 366, which was later found parked in Mr Gaine’s farmyard, just off the N71 at Carrig East.

Extensive searches have been carried out by gardaí, with the slurry pit on Mr Gaine's farm emptied and the sub-aqua unit conducting dives at a disused quarry close to his home.

Members of the Defence Forces will join the operation on Tuesday by searching rough terrain in the area.

Up to 50 troops combined from the 12th Infantry Battalion from Limerick and the 3rd Infantry Battalion from Kilkenny will assist gardaí.

Of the land where the soldiers will search, a Garda spokesperson said: “These lands are rough, open ground and at higher altitude and the experience and discipline of trained personnel is appropriate to assist in carrying out these searches.”

They added: “Gardaí continue to appeal to the public for assistance in tracing the whereabouts of Michael Gaine.

“Michael’s family have had no contact from him and his family and An Garda Síochána are extremely concerned for his well-being.

“An Garda Síochána wishes to thank members of the public who have assisted in searches previously.

“[We are] not requesting the assistance of the general public for further searches, at this time.”

However, they said detectives still want to speak to anybody who travelled on the N71 on Thursday, March 20th, after 9.48am and who may also have dash-cam or CCTV footage from March 20th and 21st in the Kenmare town and Moll’s Gap (N71/ R568) area.

Anyone with information on Mr Gaine’s whereabouts is asked to contact Killarney Garda Station or any Garda station.