Gardai have uncovered a major breakthrough in a missing person case from 18 years ago after a car was found submerged in a lake.
Officers investigating the disappearance of Michael 'Tony' Lynch reported the significant development this morning after the vehicle was recovered.
The car, believed to be Mr Lynch's white Mitsubishi Galant with a registration number TIL4670, was found in Lough Erne in Co Fermanagh.
Mr Lynch, who was 55 when he disappeared, was last seen at his home in Clones, Co Monaghan on January 6, 2002.
The development arose from members of the public noticing an anomaly in the water on Monday, May 18.
They were aware of a renewed appeal for information earlier this year and contact Clones Garda Station.
They liaised closely with the PSNI and divers carried out an underwater search, discovering the car.
It has since been recovered for examination and is believed to be the same model owned by Mr Lynch.
As part of the renewed appeal earlier this year, gardai carried out searches at 10 lakes in Co Monaghan, before the operation was suspended due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Inspector Graham Tolan of Monaghan Garda Station said: "An Garda Síochána will continue to investigate missing person’s cases for as long as it takes.
"In this case An Garda Síochána have been searching for Mr Lynch for 18 years.
"We are grateful to the members of the public who alerted us to this anomaly in the water. I’d like to remind the public that small pieces of information, no matter how insignificant they may seem, can often prove vital, as is the case today”.
"We will continue to work with Police in Lisnaskea who are investigating the circumstances surrounding the discovery".
