Searchers yesterday admitted that they were quite concerned for the safety of a recently married Swedish man who disappeared last Wednesday while on a hillwalking trip in the MacGillycuddy Reeks in Co Kerry.
More than 200 people joined in the search yesterday for 22-year-old Olof Jansen.
He hasn't been heard from since he sent a text message to his wife in Kilgarvan on Wednesday afternoon, December 29th, saying that he had reached the top of Mangerton Mountain.
Mr Jansen, who was only married in Sweden on December 21st, left Kilgarvan on Tuesday morning.
He was intending to camp out on Tuesday and Wednesday on the Reeks before returning home on Thursday.
He told his wife in his text message that he intended continuing north after leaving Mangerton towards Carrauntwohill and searchers initially concentrated their search on the southern side of Ireland's highest mountain.
Mr Tim Murphy of Kerry Mountain Rescue said they had been out looking for Mr Jansen since Friday.
He admitted that they were growing "quite concerned", given that there has been no sighting or communication from him since last Wednesday.
"He's 6ft 4 in tall and very driven - he did his national service with the Swedish army and served in Kosovo so he would have survival training and would be an experienced hillwalker," said Mr Murphy.
Search and rescue teams from as far away as Donegal, Sligo, Mayo, Galway, Dublin, Wicklow and Waterford joined yesterday with Kerry Mountain Rescue, locals, Kerry Civil Defence and hillwalkers from Kerry and Cork in combing the Reeks for Mr Jansen.
Two search and rescue dogs from Wales and another from Northern Ireland also joined in the search along with local search and rescue dogs.
The Irish Marine Emergency Services helicopter from Shannon joined in the operation on Friday and again yesterday.
Mr Murphy said that they were satisfied that reports of a man in a blue walking jacket and dark green army-style rucksack, who was seen in the Black Valley on Wednesday evening, was not Mr Jansen.
"That man was around 5ft 9in tall - he was seen in Glencar on Thursday and in Fossa on Friday - he seems to be circling around the Reeks and we're satisfied that he is not Mr Jansen," said Mr Murphy.
"On Friday, we searched all the cooms south of Carrauntwohill, on Saturday we broadened the search back out towards Mangerton.
"Today, we're looking at other areas in the Reeks where he could have gone - we're still hopeful of finding him," Mr Murphy said.
