Garda divers and soldiers will join a major search operation today for an 11-year-old boy, Robert Holohan, who has been missing since he left his home near Midleton, east Cork, to go for a cycle on Tuesday.
Supt Liam Hayes, who is leading the search involving over 250 people, admitted that gardaí had no definite leads and were keeping an open mind on what had happened.
Robert left home at Ballyedmond off the Fermoy Road at 2.30 p.m. to call on friends and was contacted later on his mobile phone by his mother, Majella.When he failed to return home on Tuesday evening, his father, Mark, raised the alarm and neighbours found his BMX bike, a Christmas present, at 5.15 p.m. lying against the hedge at Carrigoghna, some 500 yards from his home.
Robert is the eldest of the Holohan's three children and yesterday the couple - who have an eight-year-old girl, Emma, and a four-year-old boy, Harry - made a plea to the public for information. A builder in Midleton town, Mr Holohan said he did not want to think the worst but he was becoming increasingly concerned. "He could be gone missing or someone could have taken him," he said.
"We spent the whole night without sleep, wondering about him, we are worried to death about where he is," said Mr Holohan, adding that Robert was in good humour on Tuesday and his disappearance was completely out of character . "The bike was found by a neighbour and there isn't a mark on it or anything. He loved that bike so I can't imagine him just discarding it.
"I would say Robert, if you are out there, just come home. You know our number. All we want is to get you back home, Rob."
Supt Hayes said they had received a report from a lorry driver that he saw a boy matching Robert's description near the Kilrush Roundabout on the Dungarvan Ring Road at around 2 a.m. yesterday but gardaí were unable to confirm the sighting.
Yesterday afternoon, gardaí in Midleton circulated the boy's description to all airports and ferry ports.
All available uniformed gardaí were drafted into Midleton yesterday morning to assist in the search.
Robert had intended calling to three of his friends but when he arrived they were out. Yesterday detectives spoke to all three boys, carried out door-to-door inquiries at every house in the town and checked CCTV footage.
According to Garda sources, Robert's bike was left lying against a hedge at the side of the road. There was no sign of any struggle or disturbance.
Some 200 volunteers including members of Midleton GAA and Midleton Golf Club as well as Fishery Protection officers and staff from other State agencies helped in yesterday's search, while an Irish Coastguard Sikorsky helicopter based in Waterford also carried out sweeps. Today the Garda Water Unit from Dublin will join in the operation and search lakes at Water Rock Golf Club on the outskirts of Midleton and the Owencurra River which flows through the town. Soldiers from the First Field Artillery Regiment, Collins Barracks, are expected to join the search after a meeting between gardaí and Army logistics officers last night.
The soldiers are due to begin combing a number of wooded areas around Midleton at first light, some of which have already been searched but which gardaí want to re-examine. Meanwhile, the Garda Air Support aircraft has also joined the search.
Detectives were also liaising with mobile phone services providers to monitor Robert's phone but it has not been activated since Tuesday afternoon.
Robert is described as 4 feet 11 inches with blonde hair and blue eyes. He was wearing a black jacket with Nike written in orange and black on the back with black track suit bottoms.
Anyone with information is asked to contact gardaí at Midleton on (021) 4621550.