A body believed to be that of Gerard Evans - one of the “Disappeared” killed and buried by republicans during the Troubles - has been discovered days after a 16-month search ended.
The Independent Commission for the Location of Victims’ Remains, which was searching for the body of Gerard Evans (24), last seen in 1979, said it had found human remains at a site close to the Border.
The dig at Carrickrobin in Co Louth, had ended, and the missing man’s family recently spoke of their devastation at the apparent failure to find their loved one.
Two weeks ago, forensic experts scouring the site in Co Louth said they had found no remains after an operation lasting a year and a half.
The commission on victims' remains confirmed at the time that all survey and search work at Carrickrobin would halt within days.
Mr Evans vanished while hitch-hiking outside Castleblaney, Co Monaghan, in 1979. His family lived in Crossmaglen, south Armagh, just across the Border in the North and close to another Disappeared victim, Charlie Armstrong
The remains of Mr Armstrong, who went missing in 1981, were recently buried after being discovered in bogland in Co Monaghan last July. After Mr Armstrong’s funeral, the Evans family spoke of their deep regret that their relative could not be afforded a proper burial.
But in a surprise development, the commission carrying out the search said today that human remains had been found. It added: “The recovery is ongoing and the formal identification process will take some time.
“The family of Mr Evans, An Garda Síochána and the State Pathologist’s Office have been informed.”
In 1999 the IRA admitted it had killed and secretly buried nine of the 16 Disappeared, while the republican Irish National Liberation Army admitted to one of the deaths.
Commenting on the news, Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams said: "It is welcome news that remains have been found at the site in County Louth where the Commission has been searching for Gerry Evans. My thoughts are with the Evans family at this difficult time and as they await confirmation.
"I would appeal for anyone with any information that might help other families locate remains and find closure to bring that information forward," he added.
PA