Defence Forces join search for missing Kerry farmer Michael Gaine
The Defence Forces have been called in to help search for missing Kerry farmer Michael Gaine.Up to 50 members from the 12th Infantry Battalion, Limerick, and the 3rd Infantry Battalion, Kilkenny, will assist in searches on open land over the coming days.Discussions about their deployment began last week, and they are due to arrive shortly to help find the missing sheep farmer.The Kenmare-based 56-year-old has been missing since he was last seen in a Centra supermarket in Kenmare on the morning of the previous Thursday.An in-store camera filmed him wearing a distinctive orange woolly hat, black fleece, blue jeans, and black boots.CCTV image issued by Garda of Michael 'Mike' Gaine buying phone credit in Centra, Kenmare, Co. Kerry, at 9.48am on Thursday, March 20. Picture: An Garda SiochanaA short while later, he walked out of the car park, got into his wife Janice's nine-year-old bronze Toyota RAV4 jeep, and drove onto the Killarney Road towards Moll’s Gap.He is understood to have driven past the house he shared with Janice in Carhoomeengar East, three kilometres from Kenmare, before heading straight to his family’s old farmhouse, less than a kilometre from Moll’s Gap, along the Ring of Kerry route.But he has not been seen since. The search takes place for missing farmer Michael Gaine between Carrig East and Moll's Gap, Co Kerry. Picture: Dan LinehanOf 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.” Members of Kerry Mountain Rescue team searching the area between Carrig East just above the farm of missing farmer Michael Gaine and Moll's Gap, Co Kerry. Picture: Dan LinehanHowever, they said detectives still want to speak to anybody who travelled on the N71 on Thursday, 20 March, after 9.48am and who may also have dash-cam or CCTV footage from Thursday, 20 March, and Friday, 21 March, in the Kenmare town and Moll’s Gap (N71/ R568) area.Friend, neighbour and fellow councillor Dan McCarthy said: "I have heard the army is on the way and this is great news.” Some 200 or so volunteers initially joined the search over the first weekend after the alarm was raised the previous Friday.Helping them were units of the Irish Coast Guard, Civil Defence, the Kerry Mountain Rescue Team, and gardaí.Drones with live cameras streaming video back to their operators were also used in some of the less accessible areas, sweeping back and forth to see if they could spot Mr Gaine.Members of the Garda Water Unit searched a body of water in an old disused quarry near Mr Gaine’s old farmhouse last Thursday.They also spent two hours going back and forth along the shore of the nearby Barfinnihy Lake but found nothing of evidential value.On Thursday, exactly a week after his disappearance, gardaí renewed their appeal for information, telling reporters his family remains “extremely concerned” for his welfare.
