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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 27 May 2003

Vol. 567 No. 5

Written Answers. - Missing Persons.

Willie Penrose

Question:

227 Mr. Penrose asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will take all steps available to him and his Department to help ascertain the whereabouts of a person (details supplied) who has not been heard from since 22 February 2003; the progress to date in his inquiries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14420/03]

The Irish Embassy in New Delhi, which is also accredited to Nepal, was first notified on 20 May of the fact that an Irish citizen was missing in Nepal. As Ireland does not have a resident diplomatic mission in Nepal, the British Embassy in Kathmandu was asked to make enquires on our behalf. On 21 May, the citizen's parents contacted the British Embassy by e-mail with further information. With the information provided by his family and friends, the following steps have been taken. The British Embassy checked with the Immigration Department in Kathmandu and a number of the border posts into India and Tibet. The Immigration Department agreed to check through their departure cards as quickly as they can but, to date, it has found no record of the person concerned.

The British Embassy has also checked with the major hospitals in Kathmandu and Pokhara. They have no record of the person in question having been admitted. The police in Kathmandu have been contacted. They have no record of him but have agreed to extend their search nationwide. The Himalayan Rescue Association has agreed to put up notices both in Kathmandu and at their health post at Periche in the Solokhumba area of Nepal, which covers the approaches to Everest base camp, asking for information about him.

The British Embassy has placed a notice in its waiting room asking travellers to keep a look out for the person and to ask him to contact the British Embassy or his home as soon as possible. Following a request, the Chinese embassy in Kathmandu has confirmed that its had not issued him with a visa for Tibet. It is therefore unlikely that he travelled to Tibet from Nepal. The British airline liaison officer in Dhaka has checked with Biman Airlines to see if he had left Nepal on one of their flights. They have confirmed that, while he was booked to travel from Kathmandu to Dhaka, Bangladesh, they have no record of his having taken any flights with them.
Our embassy in New Delhi and the British Embassy in Kathmandu will maintain their extensive efforts to locate the person concerned. Should there be any further developments, his family will be contacted immediately.
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