A HILLWALKER who went missing overnight in bitterly cold weather was located yesterday morning after a "needle in a haystack" search by rescue services.
Twelve hours after he was reported missing, the middle-aged man, suffering from hypothermia, was found in the Donegal hills between Lough Eske and Lough Derg.
The alarm was raised by locals who spotted a car at Croaghnakern. One searcher said: "He's very lucky. It was like looking for a needle in a haystack."
Brendan McDyer, spokesman for Donegal Mountain Rescue, said: "It was a very cold night and he was not well prepared. It is a great outcome."
The man, who was aged 50 and lives in Malin, was tracked to an area near a border crossing called Kelly's Bridge at Pettigo.
He was found an hour after his wife got through to him on his mobile phone at 6.25 a.m. following unsuccessful earlier efforts by rescuers.
Garda Supt John Dennedy said: "There was great co-operation. It was a nice bit of work by everybody concerned."