DIVERS AND drainage equipment will be used today to assist the search for the young man who went missing in the vicinity of Curracloe Beach in Co Wexford six days ago.
The search will move today to marshland inland away from the beach.
Gardaí yesterday told volunteers, who have turned out in force in recent days to search for Cónal Owens (18), from Kilteel, Co Kildare, that all areas near Curracloe Beach that they wished to investigate have now been covered.
The focus of the search for Mr Owens, who has not been seen since New Year's Eve, will today be on a series of dykes and waterways in a marshland area near Curracloe Beach called the Raven Wood.
The area was sealed off yesterday as Civil Defence and Garda search teams investigated the difficult terrain.
More than 1,500 people have taken part in the search for the rugby enthusiast and, despite extensive initial searches, Garda teams will be again sent to examine areas of dense undergrowth that they believe warrant further investigation today.
Mr Owens sat his Leaving Cert in June of last year and had been working in the bar at Naas Rugby Club while he took a gap year from his studies.
He and a group of friends had travelled to Co Wexford to celebrate the new year and they were staying at a holiday home in Curracloe owned by the family of one of his friends.
The group intended to ring in the new year on Curracloe Beach, about 1km away, and Mr Owens left the house at about 11pm with friends.
He became separated soon afterwards and told the group to go ahead as he wanted to go to the toilet.
He was in contact with them via mobile phone shortly afterwards, at about 11.45pm, and said he was on his way. However, that was the last they heard from him.
More than 100 members of the public, largely from Co Kildare, again began to search sand dunes near Curracloe Beach yesterday morning.
Despite their efforts, the search yielded no new evidence and was called off at about 2.30pm.
Mr Owens's eldest sister, Jessica (20), said the family had been overwhelmed by the level of support they had received from both the people of Curracloe and Co Kildare and that they were hopeful he would be found.
"All his friends have said if anyone is able to look after themselves if they were disorientated, it'd be him. He's not the tallest but he's very strong from playing rugby and would be able to keep going if anything had happened." Gardaí have asked anyone with information to contact Wexford Garda Station, the Garda Confidential Line (1800 666111) or any Garda station.