A rucksack belonging to an Irish backpacker missing in South America, has been found at a hostel in El Calafate, Argentina.
Ronan Lawlor (28), from Durrow, Co Laois, has not been in contact with friends or family since he entered Torres del Paine National Park on the Argentinian-Chilean border on November 18th.
Officials say he entered the Chilean side of the park on November 22nd, but he has not been seen since.
The UCD graduate quit his engineering job in Ballina, Co Mayo earlier this year to travel for eight months. Mr Lawlor last updated the blog which he has used to document his travels on November 17th.
The following day he sent a text message to his friend Bernard McCabe, which is the last contact that has been made with him. Mr Lawlor was due to catch a flight from the southern town of Ushuaia to Buenos Aires on November 25th.
He was due to fly to Panama City on December 7th, but officials have confirmed that he did not present himself for either flight.
A friend of the missing man, Colm O'Gorman, from Co Limerick, said last night that Mr Lawlor was meticulous about staying in touch with home and spoke to his parents at least once a week.
He said if Mr Lawlor expected to be out of contact for a number of days, he'd be in touch beforehand to let his friends or family know.
Mr O'Gorman said that locating the backpack was an important development as it narrowed the search area down to Torres del Paine National Park.
"Chilean authorities and the park rangers are mounting a search as we speak," he said last night.
Mr Lawlor's cousin Gráinne Lawlor and Mr McCabe left for Argentina yesterday to assist in the search.
Mr Lawlor's family have set up a website in both English and Spanish to offer information. The address is www.ronanlawlor.org
