An elderly man reported missing in Co Clare yesterday was located safe overnight by Clare Civil Defence volunteers using drone technology.
The alarm was raised late last night when Gardaí received a report of man missing from his home in the Lissycasey area. Gardaí and locals commenced an initial search of the area while Clare Civil Defence and the Irish Coast Guard were also requested to assist.
Civil Defence volunteers mobilised from their base in Ennis while the Shannon-based Irish Coast Guard helicopter, Rescue 115, was also tasked.
The man, believed to be in his 70s, is understood to have been missing for a number of hours before the alarm was raised. During the evening yesterday, locals commenced a search of lands in an area where it was thought the man might be.
Civil Defence personnel quickly launched a drone with thermal imaging technology and soon located the missing man in a field shortly after midnight. Personnel rushed to the scene and recovered the man. He was assessed at the scene by Clare Civil Defence paramedic and later handed into the care of the HSE. Once it was confirmed the man had been located, Rescue 115 was stood down.
It was the second time in two days that Clare Civil Defence volunteers were requested to assist in a search for a missing person.
Team members were requested by their colleagues in Limerick Civil Defence to assist them and Gardaí in the city on Friday and successfully located a person they had been searching for.
Clare Civil Defence have been involved in a number of successful searches within and outside of Clare already this year.