A RESCUE OPERATION has been launched to locate a hillwalker who went missing yesterday afternoon in Co Galway.
The “experienced” man was last in contact with a member of his family yesterday afternoon at 4.30pm.
The man, who is aged in his 50s and is from Dublin, had been walking alone. His last known location was a place known locally as the Col of Despondency, in the Maamturk Mountains close to Leenane.
The rescue operation is being conducted by the Galway Mountain Rescue Team (GMRT), who were first alerted at 10.30am this morning, with assistance from Clifden gardaí and local landowners.
Visibility is poor in the area rendering the situation unsuitable for helicopter operations.
“Our guys are making their way into the area at present,” said Ronan Concannon, spokesman for the GMRT.
The man in question is very experienced, and is in the area training for the Maamturks walk.
That route is a long-distance walk which takes in the entire Maamturk range.
“The last phone call from the gentleman was at the end of the range,” said Concannon.
However visibility is terrible, which means it is a ground search only at present, and that will take time.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
have your say