The family of missing German journalist Bettina Poeschel (28) is hoping she is still alive although she was last seen on Tuesday afternoon.
Her father, Juergeu, and only sister, Cornelia, yesterday said it was out of character for Bettina not to have made contact with her family and friends.
He said they feared the worst. "It is now about four days since we had the last sign, and we hope we get good information in the next hours." Bettina travelled from Dublin to visit Newgrange in County Meath on Tuesday morning.
Gardai are satisfied she arrived in Drogheda and was heading towards the bus depot where there are shuttle buses to Newgrange's Br· na B≤inne visitors centre.
However the last unconfirmed sighting of a woman matching her description was at 3 p.m. on Tuesday in the crossroads village of Donore, which is on the road to the centre.
Yesterday the Garda dog unit, the air support unit and water unit along with dozens of garda∅ were searching the roads, fields and river between Newgrange, Br· na B≤inne and Drogheda.
Garda checkpoints were set up in Donore, questionnaires handed out and house-to-house inquiries were continuing.
Garda∅ say there is nothing to link Bettina's disappearance to that of other young women who have vanished without trace in recent years.
"At the moment, we hope there is no connection with those (disappearances) although there is concern as she has been missing since Tuesday. We sincerely hope she will turn up alive," said Chief Supt Michael Finnegan.
Last night he asked local people living between Drogheda and Slane, particularly in the Donore and Newgrange area, to search their properties including sheds and outbuildings.
Last Sunday her sister received a text message from her - that was her last contact with her family.
The alarm was raised early on Wednesday, a few hours after Bettina failed to return to her friend Holger Sirth's flat in Dublin, where she was staying.
Bettina was booked on a 7.30 a.m. flight from Dublin Airport on Wednesday but her ticket was never used - it is still in Holger's flat along with her luggage. Her mobile telephone is not being answered.