The search for a missing walker in the Comeragh Mountains in Co. Waterford has ended in tragedy following the discovery of a body this evening.
Gardai confirmed that a body was discovered this evening and that the scene has been preserved.
A Garda spokesman said: "A scene has been preserved following the discovery of a body in the Commeragh Mountains area of Waterford today.
"A multiagency search operation has been any ongoing in the area since on Sunday 18th April 2021 following a missing person report.
"No further information is available at this stage. Investigations are ongoing."
The alarm was raised after a missing woman, who is an experienced mountain runner, had not been heard from since 12.45pm on Sunday.
She had been due to text her husband shortly before 2pm once she had completed the Counshingaun Loop trail.
However, the 37 year-old, who had been running alone, failed to contact him and the alarm was raised at 3pm.
Local search and rescue crews were being supported at the scene by crews from across Munster and gardai.
Emergency services and search teams rushed to the Comeragh Mountains in Co Waterford but the operation was disrupted on Sunday and Monday by significant fog and mist.
A source said: “The search teams had hoped she may have hunkered down and waited for it to pass, but there are now fears she may have fallen.”
The missing woman had lived in Thurles, Co Tipperary for a number of years and she was originally from the Ballymacarbry area.
The South Eastern Mountain Rescue team (SEMRA), the Rescue 117 Coastguard helicopter based at Waterford Airport and the Search and Rescue Dog Association combed the Coumshingaun from Sunday afternoon until nightfall.
The operation was hampered by very low cloud cover and the search recommenced at first light on Monday
Liz Browne, a spokeswoman with SEMRA said: “It’s a very popular loop but the problem is once the mist and the fog comes down even a very experienced walker can get disorientated or turned around.
“And once you’re on the top there’s a huge, big plateau so you could go in any direction.
“It’s very easy get confused in bad conditions.”
Ms Browne said: “Our team arrived at 7am on Monday morning and Rescue 117 came in early because the cloud cover was higher and they searched below the cloud level when they could.
“The helicopter was due to come again during the afternoon but the mist came down so it wasn’t safe for them to come in.
“Our search team was up on top of the mountain and they were searching all day again until about 9pm on Monday.”.
She added: “We had about 40 people on the ground on Monday, we also had people from Kerry Mountain Rescue Team, Dublin and Wicklow Mountain Rescue Team and Glen of Imaal Rescue Team came to assist us
About 30 members of the SEMRA team were involved in the search and and they were being helped on Monday by mountain rescue volunteers from across Munster.
