The UK's Maritime and Coastguard Agency was contacted about the incident

A land and sea search is underway in Co Cork for two Dutch men who disappeared after going out walking on Saturday

The two men, aged 31 and 33, who are regular visitors to the area and know it well, have not been seen since Saturday afternoon.

They arrived in Ireland last Wednesday and were staying in a holiday home that belongs to the mother of one of the men.

They told her they would go walking along Sheep’s Head at lunchtime but never returned.

The alarm was raised at 11.30pm last night by a neighbour when concerns for the men’s safety grew.

It is feared that the men may have been walking near the coast when high winds were blowing high waves onto the rocks near the lighthouse.

The Shannon rescue helicopter searched both sides of the peninsula in the early hours of this morning using searchlights.

It re-fuelled in Castletownbere this morning before resuming the search.

The Castletownbere and Goleen coastguards also launched a coastal search this morning

Gardai say one of the men’s mobile phones is ringing but not being answered, and the man’s wallets are at the holiday home and a car they were using is parked outside.

Conor Feehan

Online Editors