The Defence Forces are to deploy 50 troops to help in the search for missing Kerry farmer Michael Gaine.
Gardaí are increasingly concerned the 56-year-old may have been a victim of foul play and have launched a countywide search operation including setting up checkpoints.
It has now also sent a request known as a “C70” – or “aid to the civil power” request – to the Defence Forces for assistance in searching for Mr Gaine or clues to his disappearance.
Soldiers from 3rd and 12th Battalions of 1 Brigade are to assemble in Kerry on Tuesday morning to begin the search.
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It is hoped the soldiers will be helpful in searching areas of rough terrain.
“The Defence Forces can confirm that it has received a request for assistance from An Garda Síochána to aid in a search in Kenmare for a missing person,” a spokesman for the military said.
“Fifty personnel from 1 Brigade will be deployed in an Aid to the Civil Power (ATCP) operation to assist in this search operation.”
The Defence Forces is capable of deploying specialised search teams but, for the moment, the soldiers being deployed in this operation are general infantry troops, it is understood.
Mr Gaine visited Kenmare on March 20th. Gardaí have released a CCTV image of him buying phone credit in a Centra store at 9.48am that day.
He was seen minutes later in the town in what is believed to be the last confirmed sighting of him. He appears to have driven back to his home outside the town, off the N71 at Carrig East, before disappearing.
His car – a bronze-colour Toyota Rav4, registration 152 KY 366 – was left in the yard, but no trace of him has been found despite extensive searches of his farm and nearby lands.
Mr Gaine’s home has been forensically searched and his car has been taken for examination, an unusual move in a missing person’s inquiry.
However, sources said the disappearance was so unusual, out of character and without explanation that every resource available had been committed to the case.
Garda checkpoints were mounted on Thursday close to Mr Gaine’s home, with a view to stopping people who might regularly travel past the property at the same time each week in the hope they may have seen the missing man but not reported it to the force.
In addition to gardaí, others have joined the search for the missing Kerry man, including more than 200 volunteers, the Kerry Mountain Rescue Team, Iveragh Coast Guard Unit and Kerry Civil Defence.
Last week the Garda Water Unit searched a disused quarry, near Mr Gaine’s farm, and two nearby lakes.
