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Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
National
Lauren Harte & Conor Coyle

Body found in search for Irish teen who went missing after country music night

A body has been found as part of an investigation into missing Co Tyrone teenager Matthew McCallan.

A two-day search operation involving hundreds of people was launched to find Matthew, 15, after he was last seen in Fintona at around 1.30am on Sunday.

Matthew was a past pupil of St Mary's PS, Carland and was a year 12 student at St Patrick's College in Dungannon, Belfast Live reports.

The missing teenager had not been seen since he left the Jamboree country music night in Fintona in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Hundreds of volunteers along with the PSNI and Search and Rescue teams took part in extensive searches in many areas of Fintona and nearby on Sunday and Monday.

The search had been coordinated from the Church of Ireland in Fintona, where Matthew’s family had earlier gathered and thanked the public for their efforts to find him.

Undated PSNI handout photo of Matthew McCallan, 15, who has been missing from the Dungannon area since Sunday. Issue date: Monday December 5, 2022. (PA Media)

The Tattyreagh Road in the nearby area was closed on Monday after community volunteers confirmed they had suspended their search for Matthew.

A PSNI spokesperson confirmed the news that a body had been found on Monday in a ditch in the laneway of a property. The PSNI is treating Matthew's death as 'unexplained'.

"Detectives in the Criminal Investigation Department are investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of a teenage boy following the discovery of a body in the Fintona area shortly before 12 noon on Monday, 5th December.

"It is believed to be the body of 15 year old Matthew McCallan from the Dungannon area."

Detective Inspector Michael Winters said: “Our thoughts are very much with Matthew’s devastated family who received this tragic news today. A number of specially trained officers are providing support to them at this time.

“Detectives will continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the death, which is currently being treated as unexplained.

“Police received a report of a missing person shortly after 3.30am on Sunday, 4th December when Matthew did not arrive home after attending an event in Fintona on Saturday night.

“Sadly a body, which we believe to be Matthew, was discovered in a ditch in the laneway of a property approximately two miles away from the social event today, Monday 5th December, at 11.45am.

“We are keeping an open mind and would appeal for anyone with information to come forward. Matthew was last seen at approximately 1.20am in the Ecclesville Centre, Fintona, and we are keen to establish his movements after this time. I would appeal to anyone who saw the teenager or anyone who has CCTV or dashcam footage, to contact police on 101, quoting reference number 319 of 04/12/22.”

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