Excavation called off in Sinnott investigation

An excavation taking place in Co Wexford as part of the investigation into the disappearance of Fiona Sinnott almost eight years…

An excavation taking place in Co Wexford as part of the investigation into the disappearance of Fiona Sinnott almost eight years ago was tonight called off.

Gardaí from the National Bureau of Criminal Investigations began the dig in a field in Killinick in the south of the county on Thursday.

But a garda spokeswoman said nothing was found at the dig to aid the investigation.

Gardaí began the excavation in an area around 40 metres square in a sugar beet field on Thursday on the back of new information. The 19-year-old went missing - leaving behind a baby girl - after leaving a public house near her home in Broadway near Rosslare, Co Wexford, on February 8, 1998.

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Gardaí said they were not linking the dig to the arrests by gardai of six people from the Wexford area last September for questioning. All of those questioned in relation to the case were released without charge.

In the years since her disappearance, Mary Sinnott, the missing woman's mother, has renewed appeals for information.

Mrs Sinnott has said she is convinced someone had direct or indirect knowledge as to why her daughter went missing.

Fields and ponds in the area were searched for months after Ms Sinnott disappeared after leaving the public house.

But no trace of her has been found.

Detectives who examined the case in 1999 as part of Operation Trace - the Garda investigation into the cases of six missing women - were reported to be satisfied there was no link between Ms Sinnott's case and the others.

PA