Blathnaid might never come back home, says her brother.(News)

Byline: Laura Lynott

GARDA divers continued the search for missing Blathnaid Timothy yesterday, as her family said they just need 'closure' on her disappearance.

The divers resumed the ongoing search yesterday morning for the 33-year-old business executive, who vanished after getting into a taxi on December 14.

The search was yesterday focused around the East Pier in Howth, Co. Dublin - near the spot on Harbour Road where the former Trinity College student was dropped that night by taxi.

Her brother Ronan admitted that the family's wish to find their missing loved one had now switched to the possibility that she would never return home.

'We are not very optimistic at this stage, the possibility is not good,' he said. 'It's unfortunate but what we need now is closure. The focus is on the water but we will have to wait and see.' It was reported yesterday that gardai have ruled out foul play after analysis of her internet records.

Sources are said to have confirmed that detectives 'gleaned important information' when they looked through her computer, which they seized soon after she was reported missing.

An examination of her hard drive and details of her internet activity before she disappeared led them to dismiss any motive of foul play, it's alleged.

It is understood that both the coastguard and the gardai's Water Support Unit are tracking tide movements and interviewing experienced local fishermen in the Howth region.

They are also carrying out lowaltitude helicopter searches of the Irish Sea. Gardai have been assisted by local volunteers as well as friends of Miss Timothy, originally from Glenamaddy in Co. Galway.

Miss Timothy, a successful business woman who had held contracts with Coca Cola and KPMG, had been living on Camden Street in the city centre up until her disappearance.

The search has centred around the harbour since detectives finally were able to interview the taxi driver who had driven her to Howth, after he was tracked down at the weekend.

All previous appeals to find him had failed and led to an almost three-week delay in searching the area where she was last seen.

The black Mercedes taxi had picked Miss Timothy up outside an ATM on Sir John Rogerson's Quay in the city, where she had withdrawn [euro]60. She then took the half-hour drive to the coastal area and her movements have not been known since.

When her family and friends had not heard from her for a number of days and efforts to contact her failed, she was reported missing on December 17.

She left her apartment on Camden Street without her phone or handbag and only had her bank card in her possession.

Miss Timothy is described as being 5ft 6in tall, of thin build and pale complexion, with medium length dark brown hair and blue eyes.

She was wearing a three-quarter length black wool coat, grey jeans and a black and red scarf when last seen.

Anyone with information or anyone who may have seen her or somebody matching the description in Howth on the night in question is asked to contact Harcourt Terrace Garda Station on 01 666 9500.

laura.lynott@dailymail.ie

CAPTION(S):

Missing: Blathnaid Timothy