A search for an Irish woman, who is 26 today, is underway in east India. Ms Darina Frances O'Shea, a teacher, from Kenmare, Co Kerry, has not been in contact with her home since Christmas Day.
Her mother, Mrs Mary O'Shea, reported her missing to gardaí last week after attempts to trace her failed and on discovering her bank account had not been touched since December 22nd.
Ms O'Shea is the eldest of five children. She has a degree in French and Irish from UCD and is fluent in both languages. She studied for the Higher Diploma in Education at UCC.
A seasoned traveller, she taught English in Korea for a year until November when she travelled to Thailand and then on to Calcutta.
Two years ago she travelled through Central America on her own and spent several weeks on a Caribbean island, where she was the only European.
However, Darina has never been out of touch with home for longer than three to four weeks.
It is six weeks since she phoned from Calcutta and the family are extremely worried, her mother said. "She likes to go where there are no other Europeans. People do travel on their own in India. But it's very unlike her not to be in touch for this long,"
Her daughter has a keen interest in languages and primitive cultures, Mrs O'Shea added. "She is outgoing. She communicates very well. But she is on her own."
Ms O'Shea was last sighted by a young Cork woman in Puri on the Bay of Bengal on January 3rd.
It has been established that she checked out of the Love and Life Hotel in Puri on January 10th and intended to visit a remote tribal area, also in the state of Orissa.
She last checked her e-mail messages on January 12th, friends in Korea have discovered.
There have been indications that she intended going south to the city of Madras/Chennai. Her mother, however, believes she is still in Orissa.
"She wanted to go alone, not with a translator or travel agent. I'm very apprehensive because she is totally on her own," her mother said.
The Department of Foreign Affairs has been in touch with the consular section in New Delhi.
A spokesman said yesterday a tour agency which specialises in the Orissa region has offered to circulate Darina's photograph and details.
The Irish Embassy too has circulated photographs and is checking with hotels in the region.
