New search of coast for missing student

ANOTHER search of the coastal area is to be undertaken tomorrow (Wednesday) morning in an effort to try and find the Longford student missing for almost three weeks.It had been hoped to begin the search on Monday morning for 20-year-old Michael Hughes but the inclement weather conditions forced the Gardaí to defer the operation until tomorrow. Gardaí, the Coastguard, and local volunteers are expected to be involved in the search, which will concentrate mainly on the coastal area. The Limerick University student had been visiting friends in Galway during Rag Week and was last seen in the early hours of Wednesday morning, February 20, near Debenhams (formerly Roches Stores), close to Eyre Square.In the days following his disappearance, more than 70 people were involved in the search for Mr Hughes, who was very familiar with the city having been an Arts student at NUI Galway in 2005/06.Members of the Garda Water Unit did a 'close to shore’ boat search over the weekend but no trace of the missing student — who is from Killoe, Longford — was found. Mr Hughes was in the College Bar at NUIG on the night before he went missing and had made an arrangement to meet friends in Supermacs later on, but he never turned up.He is..............