Italian authorities have confirmed DNA tests carried out on remains found in the Stresa area of the country are those of Irish woman Maireád Geary (82) who went missing in the area in 2008.
In a short statement released via the Department of Foreign Affairs today, the family of Ms Geary said they had been advised of the results by the Italian authorities.
The statement read: “The Geary family would like to express their gratitude to the Soccorso Alpino, the local Carabineri in Stresa, an Garda Síochána, the staff at the embassy of Ireland in Rome and to all the volunteers who assisted in the search for Mairéad.
“The family would respectfully request that members of the media respect their privacy at this difficult time,” it added.
Ms Geary (82) went missing on October 10th, 2008, whilst on holiday with a group of 40 pensioners and retirees from Limerick in Stresa, on Lake Maggiore, close to the Italian-Swiss border.
She left her hotel saying she intended to take the cable car up to the top of nearby Mount Mottarone, a popular viewing spot. When she got to the top of the cable car ride, she set off on her own for a walk and was not seen since then.
Authorities recovered her remains in the Stresa area in October 2009.