'I just want him home', says wife of missing farmer

The wife of a missing farmer has said his disappearance is completely out of character and she just wants him home again.

Michael Gaine, a 56-year-old sheep and cattle farmer, was reported missing from his home near Kenmare in County Kerry in the Republic of Ireland on Friday 21 March, after he was last seen in Kenmare town the previous day.

Gardaí (Irish police) are now treating the case as a homicide investigation.

"We want to know what happened to him, because if we can't find Michael, I just don't know what I'm going to do," his wife Janice told Irish broadcaster RTÉ.

Mr Gaine is from the remote Carrig East area, close to the Molls Gap beauty spot along the renowned Ring of Kerry.

Despite extensive searches being carried out by gardaí and a number of partners, he has not been found.

Mrs Gaine described her husband as her best friend, adding that "this whole thing has been devastating".

"He loved his home, he loved his farm, he loved animals," she said.

"He had lots of friends. He was a very popular guy.

"His disappearance is totally out of character and we knew that from day one."

Mr Gaine's sister, Noreen O'Regan, said the whole family were devastated

"Our lives are shattered - we want answers - we love Michael, we want him back," she said.

On Tuesday evening, the investigation into Mr Gaine's whereabouts was reclassified as a homicide inquiry by gardaí.

Before his disappearance Mr Gaine bought phone credit in a shop just before 10:00 on 20 March and drove away from the town shortly afterwards, gardaí said.

His vehicle was later found parked at his remote farm, but he could not be found.

Mr Gaine's disappearance has prompted one of the biggest missing person searches on the island of Ireland in recent memory.

The searches have been concentrated around one of Ireland's leading areas of outstanding natural beauty.

The area around his farmyard was cordoned off by gardaí shortly after his disappearance and Mr Gaine's vehicle was taken away for forensic tests.

Several nearby lakes and a disused quarry were searched, and the Irish Army was eventually called in to help with the searches along the rugged mountainous area around the farm.

Mr Gaine's home is a short distance away from the farm.

There have also been detailed searches along local scenic roads which are popular with tourists who come to visit the Ring of Kerry.

Teams from the Irish Defence Forces have been deployed to search wooded and marsh areas.

Gardaí have also been using the Garda Water Unit to search water sources.

Since he was reported missing, gardaí have made more than 320 formal enquiries, taken nearly 130 witness statements and recovered approximately 2,200 hours of CCTV and dash-cam footage.