Search for missing hillwalker continues in Mayo

Rescue teams are continuing the search for an experienced hill walker who has been missing on a Mayo mountain for more than 48 hours .

The Mayo and Cleggan mountain rescue teams are searching the area today. The Malin Head Coast Guard helicopter searched the area this morning.

The alarm was raised by family members on Wednesday when the man failed to return to Dublin after setting out to climb Mweelrea mountain, Co Mayo, on Tuesday.

The man had made it known he intended to do a “ridge walk” before returning to camp in the vicinity of his car.

Rescuers have located the man’s car but his tent was still inside.

Mayo Mountain Rescue spokesman Colm Byrne last night said the man's family had become "very concerned" for his safety, but that a walker of his experience "could probably keep himself safe if he were injured".

While rescue teams believe they know which route the man took, there are a number of locations in which he might be if a navigational error was made.

Conditions were "extremely windy" said Mr Byrne, but "shouldn't have presented any major difficulties" for the man, who was described as a "very experienced" member of the Irish Mountaineering Club.

“It is a dangerous mountain when conditions get bad,” he said.

“You’d need to be a very good navigator and be able to use a map and compass. We’ve had a couple of deaths on it over the years and many people have become trapped on it in awkward places.”

Rescue teams from Dublin, Wicklow and Donegal are expected to bring the number of searchers to 40.