A 15-year-old boy reported missing in Co Clare earlier today has been found safe and well.
A major search operation was mounted this evening after the teenager was reported missing by his family. It’s understood the boy was last seen at around 4.45pm.
The teen’s family commenced an initial search, walking local roads and searching fields in the area where he was last seen. When there was no sign of the boy, his family notified Gardaí.
Gardaí alerted the Irish Coast Guard to request resources to assist in the search while other voluntary search and rescue groups were also contacted and asked to help.
The Killaloe unit of the Coast Guard was mobilised and established a command and control centre at the GAA field in Tulla from where they coordinated the search locally. The search was concentrated in the area around Kilkishen, O’Callaghan’s Mills and Bodyke in East Clare.
The recently commissioned UAS (unmanned aerial system) team from Doolin Coast Guard was also tasked to the scene. Members are specially trained in the use of drones to search for persons in daytime and at night.
Gardaí and Coast Guard mobile units searched roadways in the vicinity of where the boy was last seen while the Shannon-based Irish Coast Guard helicopter was also scrambled and was able to use its powerful lights and infra-red heat seeking equipment to search for the missing boy.
Volunteers from the Limerick Land Search Team also travelled to the scene while members of Tipperary Search and Rescue Group and the Search and Rescue Dog Association (SARDA) were on their way to the take part in the search when they were stood down.
The search was called off at around 9.30pm after the teen was found safe and well. It’s understood he was found walking along a road by a passing Garda patrol. He was taken to Tulla to be reunited with his family.
