The search for missing 11-year-old Cork boy Robert Holohan has been called off till 8 a.m. tomorrow morning.
The onset of nightime forced rescueers to call off the search til morning, however, a fixed wing aircraft with an infra-red camera will continue the search in the Midleton area overnight.
Some 1,000 volunteers had joined with soldiers from the First Field Artillery Regiment, based in Collins Barracks Cork in the search for the boy, as had a Garda helicopter, a sub-aqua unit and dog handlers.
Mr Mark Holohan, Robert Holohan's father
Robert has been missing from his home at Ballyedmond off the Fermoy Road, in Midleton, since Tuesday afternoon. He left the house on his BMX bicycle, telling his mother he was going to visit friends.
The bicycle was found nearly three hours later lying against a hedge at Carrigoghna, some 500 yards from his home.
Superintendent Liam Hayes, who is leading the search operation, admitted that gardaí had no definite leads and were keeping an open mind on what had happened.
He said there was "nothing to suggest" Robert had been abducted, adding it hadn't been ruled out. "We're investigating everything at this stage," he said.
The Garda Air Support fixed wing plane made several fruitless sweeps of areas north of the town yesterday evening using heat seeking equipment.
Earlier searches by the Irish Coast Guard Sikorsky helicopter also failed to find any sign of Robert.
Today's search will concentrate around a number of rivers and wooded areas around Midleton which gardaí want to re-examine.
Gardaí are also anxious to speak to anyone who was using the East Cork Golf Club or its driving range on the afternoon Robert disappeared.
Robert's description has been circulated to all airports and ferry ports as fears grow he may have been abducted.
A report from a lorry driver that he saw a boy matching Robert's description near the Kilrush Roundabout on the Dungarvan Ring Road yesterday afternoon has not yet been confirmed.
Robert is the eldest of Holohan's three children and yesterday the couple - who have an eight-year-old girl, Emma, and a four-year-old boy, Harry - made a plea to the public for information.
A builder in Midleton town, Mr Mark Holohan said he did not want to think the worst but he was becoming increasingly concerned. "He could be gone missing or someone could have taken him," he said.
"We spent the whole night without sleep, wondering about him, we are worried to death about where he is," said Mr Holohan, adding that Robert was in good humour on Tuesday and his disappearance was completely out of character. "The bike was found by a neighbour and there isn't a mark on it or anything. He loved that bike so I can't imagine him just discarding it.
"I would say Robert, if you are out there, just come home. You know our number. All we want is to get you back home, Rob."
Detectives were also liaising with mobile phone services providers to monitor Robert's phone but it has not been activated since Tuesday afternoon.
Robert is described as 4 feet 11 inches with blonde hair and blue eyes. He was wearing a black jacket with Nike written in orange and black on the back with black track suit bottoms.
Anyone with information is asked to contact gardaí at Midleton on (021) 4621550.