The cousin of an Irish backpacker missing in a remote stretch of the Chilean-Argentinian border tonight said she was devastated by the lack of commitment from authorities.

A helicopter has joined the search for an Irish backpacker missing in a remote stretch of the Chilean-Argentinian border, it emerged tonight.

The search for an Irish backpacker missing in a remote stretch of the Chilean-Argentinian border was tonight focussing on a 20km sq area.

The cousin and a close friend of missing Irish man Ronan Lawlor have arrived in Argentina.

A fire swept through a small hotel in Santiago, Chile, early today leaving 10 foreign tourists dead, a Fire Department commander said.