Garda sub aqua teams and Civil Defence units will today renew their search efforts in the Mullingar area to locate a young local man who vanished without a trace nearly three months ago.
Mr Derek Browne (27), from Beechlawns, Mullingar, has not been seen since he left his home to go to work on June 6th last at approximately 7.30 a.m.
In the latest phase of this missing persons investigation, gardaí are now appealing to the public to help comb the area.
"We will be concentrating our searches on the wooded areas, the Royal Canal in the town, as well as the fields beside main roads," an investigating garda said.
"Units from the Civil Defence will be taking part, as well as divers from the Garda Water Unit who will be searching the lakeland areas.
"We will be concentrating on a number of lakes which surround the town during the day's efforts," he added. "However, the size of the search area we get covered will depend on the number of volunteers that turn up."
Last seen on the town's Dublin Road, in the Prospect area, Mr Browne is described as five feet 10 inches tall and of medium build. When last seen, he had short brown hair and was clean shaven.
At the time of his disappearance he was wearing a black bomber jacket, dark blue denim jeans, blue runners and a two-tone brown jumper.
Gardaí in Mullingar will be devoting a significant number of officers to today's search and are also to be backed up by units from the Civil Defence.
Since he was first reported missing, there have been relentless efforts to find him and posters appealing for help have been put up throughout the town. However, gardaí said that the case is still a mystery and that there has been no real leads on his whereabouts. An aerial search of the nearby Lough Owel area last week were unsuccessful.
Volunteers are asked to assemble at the County Buildings in Mullingar early today and parties will be moved out to their designated search areas at 10 a.m.