GARDAI were investigating a number of reported sightings of one of two missing women at the centre of separate Garda searches last night, as the body of the second woman was discovered in a Co Galway lake.
Officers are checking reports that Ms Fiona Pender (25), who is seven months' pregnant and has been missing for more than a week, was seen in Dublin.
The second missing woman a London based solicitor, Ms Kathleen Keaney (30), who had been missing since she left her Co Galway home early on Tuesday morning was found dead in her car at Derrylea lake, two miles from Clifden, at 5 p.m. yesterday.
The road becomes steep towards the lake, and gardai believe she drove into it accidentally en route to Shannon Airport. She had left the family home at 5.10 a.m. to catch an early flight to Heathrow. She had been visiting her elderly father at Doohulla, Co Galway.
The alarm was raised by a car hire company when Ms Keaney did not return the car she had hired from them. It was then established she had not turned up for work in London on Wednesday, as expected.
Gardai continue to be concerned for the safety of Ms Pender, from Tullamore, Co Offaly, who has been missing since Friday, August 23rd.
A hairdresser in the town, who has also done part time modelling locally, she is expecting a baby in October. She lived with her boyfriend at Church Street.
So far there has been no response to a Garda appeal for a young man in his 20s, seen talking to Ms Pender at the Dunnes Stores centre at 6.30 p.m. on the day she disappeared, to come forward.
It is believed she was wearing a navy blue T shirt, a black and pink waterproof jacket, white leggings and white runners. She is 5ft 5in, of slim build, with long blonde hair.
Yesterday her mother Josephine appealed for her to contact the family. Speaking on RTE radio, she said: "If she feels she needs a break to take a week away from us - that's fine, we'll respect her wishes. But if she'd just contact us . . ."
