The body of an Irish engineer has reportedly been found 10 months after he was kidnapped in the Ecuadoran jungle.
The remains of Mr John Buckley, along with those of his driver, Mr Luis Diaz, were discovered about 100 miles north-east of the capital Quito in the El Chaco region, localreports said.
He and Mr Diaz, then 60, disappeared on October 2nd last near Sardinas village in an oil-rich region about 69 miles from the Colombian border. They were working for Argentinian Techint oil exploration and production company.
Weeks after their abduction the company paid an unspecified ransom. But by mid-December, Techint offered a $25,000 reward for information leading to the men's rescue after it became apparent the payment had not secured their release. Since then, there had been no news of the men or information about their kidnappers.
Police could not confirm the discovery, and it was not immediately apparent when the bodies were found nor how the men were killed.
Mr Buckley, 64 at the time of the kidnapping, was from Clara in Co Offaly, had been living in Britain with his wife and daughter before his abduction. He is believed to have held dual nationality.
He is understood to have been travelling on a British passport and the Foreign Office have been in contact with Ecuadoran authorites.
The Department of Foreign Affairs have been tracking the situation since Mr Buckley's disappearance and today said they are maintaining contact with their British couterparts.
Tests to confirm the identity of both men are being conducted and Mr Buckley's next-of-kin are being kept informed. Results are not expected until Sunday or Monday.
In June 2001, Colombian and Ecuadoran authorities arrested 57 members of a gang they accused of orchestrating the kidnapping of 10 foreign oil workers in the same region. Fifty of the suspects were Colombian.
One American hostage was killed during ransom negotiations at the time, while two Frenchmen escaped shortly after the kidnapping. The remaining seven were freed in March 2001, after an $8.5 million ransom was paid.
The gang was also believed to be responsible for kidnapping seven Canadians and one American oil worker in late 1999 and holding them captive for 100 days before a ransom was paid.
Colombian authorities have said the gang was responsible for at least eight separate kidnappings in Ecuador, mainly of foreigners, since 1990.
Earlier this year, prayers for Mr Buckley's safe return were offered at the parish church in his home village.
Additional reporting AP