Family fears for missing teacher

The anxious mother of a man missing near war-torn Afghanistan was tonight praying he will turn up safe.

Michael O’Donovan, 26, from Omagh, Co Tyrone, vanished after fleeing a college where he was teaching in Uzbekistan, just north of the region targeted by allied bombers.

His mother Noleen said: ‘‘We haven’t heard from him since Saturday when he emailed to say he was still waiting to be shipped out.’’

Michael, who is originally from Co Donegal, last made contact with his family just as the US and Britain began their strikes on the Taliban regime on Sunday.

But since then his fate has remained a mystery.

‘‘In the message he said he had withdrawn money from his bank account and he had hoped to be flown to the Ukraine some time this week,’’ Mrs O’Donovan explained.

Her fears are growing that he could be stranded after US troops arrived in Uzbekistan.

She added: ‘‘It’s a worrying time and the fact that he is a westerner working for a US company doesn’t make it any easier.’’

Michael arrived in Uzbekistan in August to teach English to students and members of the business community.

He refused an offer to leave the region after the September 11 terrorist strikes and has since kept in touch with his anxious family via email.

The teacher had told his mother that his visa arrived on Friday to enable him to travel to the Ukraine.

But now Mrs O’Donovan does not know whether all civilian flights have been grounded, leaving Michael with no escape from the war-torn region.

‘‘He told us he was getting on well and liked the work,’’ she said.

‘‘But in recent days we sensed a slight change in his attitude and I believe he was anxious to get out.

‘‘I would now be afraid that the Afghan forces would launch an attack on the US troops based out there, but we are still hopeful he will make contact with us and will be all right.’’