The search for an Irish backpacker missing in a remote section of a park on the Argentina-Chile border has been narrowed down to a route it is believed he may have taken.
A search party and sniffer dogs yesterday focused on a 20km sq area, where it is understood he camped having entered the Torres del Paine national park on November 18th.
Ronan Lawlor was last seen on that day travelling by bus to the large park in the Patagonian region.
The 28-year-old from Durrow, Co Laois, has not been in contact with friends or family since he sent a friend a text message prior to entering the park.
Mr Lawlor's last reported movements were noted by officials at the Monte Aymond border crossing when he moved from Argentina to Chile on November 22nd.
The decision to move the focus of the search came when a couple who spoke to Mr Lawlor about his plans came forward on Sunday.
Mr Lawlor's friend, Colm O'Gorman from Co Limerick, said the search party was now making its way through this section of the park.
He said that receiving updates from the search party was proving difficult. "We have not received a lot of regular feedback from the search party because there is poor mobile phone coverage in the park."
Mr Lawlor was scheduled to visit Ushuaia in southern Argentina on November 25th. From there he was due to fly to Buenos Aires, but he did not arrive. Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern has been in touch with the Chilean and Argentinian governments.
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