Thousands of people are reported missing every year, but only a few hit the headlines

As missing person reports rise, families are left searching for answers — some for days, others for decades.

The Kerry fire services and gardaí at the farm of missing farmer Michael (Mike) Gaine at Carrig near Moll's Gap, Co Kerry. Picture: Dan Linehan

As a former member of An Garda Síochána, and search supervisor, I have been called out on many searches for missing persons.

It could be someone suffering a mental health crisis, a crisis within the home, domestic violence, or a child that has been abducted by a parent and subject to a court order, or a person who has been murdered, and who has never been found, or someone who may have decided that they want to get away for a while and be on their own, without alerting or telling anyone...