The quest to find a young boy, estimated to be 12 years old, last seen near the Cliffs of Moher in County Clare, has recommenced, leveraging drone technology. Gardaí and the Coast Guard have confirmed the operation will persist throughout Thursday when the conditions are more accommodating.
The child was declared missing on Tuesday by his visiting family from abroad, triggering a search operation on land, air and sea. Both gardaí and the Irish Coast Guard were initially prompted for assistance, which set into motion numerous resources for the search.
The Irish Coast Guard’s marine rescue coordination hub on Valentia Island in Kerry set up a joint operation involving the Doolin Coast Guard unit, the lifeboat from Aran Islands RNLI, and a search and rescue helicopter based in Shannon. The search spanned several hours, including the area at the foot of the cliffs, but the unsafe conditions restricted personnel’s access to the shoreline for a thorough survey. The operation was halted on Tuesday evening, but recommenced on Wednesday morning.
The Doolin Coast Guard were aided by a drone team from Clare Civil Defence and divers from the Garda Water Unit, with additional support from Rescue 115 in the afternoon. Kevin Whitney, the chief operations officer with the Coast Guard, noted that the improving conditions will enhance recovery operations this afternoon at the Cliffs of Moher.
The operation will persist from low water at the cliff base, with the support of Coast Guard units, a helicopter and drones. Despite the improving circumstances, the maritime conditions remain erratic, Whitney informed RTÉ radio’s News at One. The efforts are majorly centered around the Cliffs of Moher visitor centre.
The search area is being expanded slightly, and drift modelling software is being utilised to optimally position assets and ensure they’re used as effectively as possible, Whitney added. The operations were resumed on Thursday morning, with Coast Guard volunteers from Doolin persisting in their search on the clifftop.
The Cleggan Coast Guard drone unit in Galway is en route to Clare to aid their Doolin counterparts. In addition, the Clare Civil Defence is preparing to utilise their drones, with auxiliary support coming from volunteer units hailing from two divisions of Cork’s services and one Kerry unit. Both Galway and Mayo’s Civil Defence members are slated to conduct a sweep of the Galway Bay shore, as part of the continuing operation.
As the tide retreats, drone squadrons will scour the coastal areas. It is predicted that low-tide will strike around half past two in the afternoon. Yesterday’s southerly winds mean the coastal search effort will be broadened northbound, covering more ground along the Cliffs of Moher and the coastline proceeding from Doolin.