Land, air and sea searches are continuing in Kilkee today (Friday) in an effort to trace the Japanese couple last seen walking in the resort early on Saturday.
A holidaymaker reported seeing the couple early on Saturday in Kilkee and remarked how they “looked happy and fit”.
Mr Eiji Takagi (63) Ms Ushio Azaki (61) were reported missing on Tuesday after their red Hyundai rental car was found abandoned in Kilkee and they failed to turn up for a flight to London.
It’s been established that they stayed in Doonbeg for a few nights after arriving in Clare and were in Kilkee on Friday afternoon, where they were captured on CCTV at a local restaurant. They returned to Spanish Point that night and checked out of their hotel on Saturday morning.
Gardaí are asking people in the accommodation sector if they had a booking for a Japanese couple who didn’t turn up. They are also appealing to anyone who finds a rucksack or any other property to contact them.
Since Tuesday, the search has involved the gardaí, Irish Coast Guard units from Kilkee, Doolin and Ballybunnion, as well as the Shannon search and rescue helicopter and Clare Civil Defence.
Gardaí at Kilrush can be contacted on 065 908 0550 while anyone with information can also call the Garda Confidential Line 1 800 666 111 or any garda station.
A native of Ennis, Colin McGann has been editor of The Clare Champion since August 2020. Former editor of The Clare People, he is a journalism and communications graduate of Dublin Institute of Technology.