The search for the body of a British soldier thought to have been killed by the IRA in 1977 is set to begin in remote farmland, a victim’s commission has said.
Captain Robert Nairac is part of a group of 16 people known as the Disappeared – those who were killed and secretly buried by paramilitary groups.
The British army officer is thought to have been abducted by the Provisional IRA while working undercover in a pub in south Armagh in 1977.
He was taken across the border to Flurry Bridge, County Louth, where he was killed, it is believed.
The Independent Commission for the Location of Victims’ Remains (ICLVR), which has located the remains of a number of the Disappeared, has said it will soon begin its first search for Captain Nairac.
It comes after a preliminary examination of a site was previously carried out at Ravensdale Forest, County Louth, in 2019.
The new search is set to take place in remote farmland in the Faughart area, also in County Louth.
Jon Hill, lead investigator for the ICLVR, said that while Captain Nairac was one of the highest profile of the Disappeared, they had “very little to go on”.
“We believe that we do now have sufficient credible information to warrant a search,” he said.
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The search will be carried out on private land and Mr Hill stressed neither the landowner nor tenant had any connection with the investigation.
He added that the search will also differ from the organisation’s last, which was for County Tyrone teenager Columba McVeigh.
Image: Jon Hill said there was now ‘sufficient credible information’ to warrant a search. Pic: PA
“The area itself is relatively small, less than one acre, and farmland is inherently more stable than the bogland we have had to work on in other searches for the Disappeared,” Mr Hill said.
“And so, while the weather is always a factor we have to deal with, I would hope that we will get a relatively clear run at this one.”
The search is on the site of a 14th century battle and is being supported by Ireland’s National Monuments Service in case they find any historic remains.
The commission will keep searching until it finds the officer’s remains, or are satisfied there is nothing to find at the site.
Mr Hill added: “We are not time-limited but given the relatively small area, by our standards, I do not anticipate a protracted search period of many months.
“The Nairac family have been told that a search is about to commence and we will of course keep them informed of any developments.
“I am not going to put a number on the degree of confidence that we have that we will find the remains of Robert Nairac but what I can say is that if they are there we have the skills, ability, and experience to find them.”
The ICLVR has also reissued an appeal for information about other remaining Disappeared cases, including Joe Lynskey, Columba McVeigh, and Seamus Maguire.
Model Penny Lancaster has said she “felt ashamed and belittled” by how former MasterChef host Gregg Wallace treated her on the TV show.
Lancaster, who is also a TV personality, and is married to singer Rod Stewart, told Sky News’ The UK Tonight with Sarah-Jane Mee programme that she also felt let down by MasterChef’s production company Banijay UK.
“I didn’t feel like I was supported in that moment, I felt ashamed and belittled by the way Greg Wallace had treated me but equally I felt disappointed that the production company hadn’t come to my rescue,” Lancaster, 54 and a MasterChef contestant in 2021, said.
“There is a long way to go, but just by people coming forward and being honest about their experiences I think will help in the long term.”
At the end of July, Wallace, 60, apologised after a report commissioned by Banijay UK, and carried out by law firm Lewis Silkin, found 45 out of 83 allegations against him were substantiated.
Sir Rod Stewart criticised Wallace on Instagram in November 2024 and claimed he “humiliated” his wife when she was on the show.
He wrote: “Good riddance Wallace… You humiliated my wife when she was on the show, but you had that bit cut out didn’t you?
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“You’re a tubby, bald-headed, ill-mannered bully.”
He has previously apologised to people he has hurt, saying in July that he knows he has said things that have offended people. He has denied a specific allegation of unwanted touching.
The BBC referred Sky News to their statement from July, in which the corporation said: “Although the full extent of these issues were not known at the relevant time, opportunities were missed to address this behaviour – both by the production companies running MasterChef and the BBC. We accept more could and should have been done sooner.
“We want to thank all those who took part in the investigation, including those who first raised concerns directly with the BBC in November last year. We apologise to everyone who has been impacted by Mr Wallace’s behaviour.”
Image: Penny Lancaster speaks to Sarah-Jane Mee
Banijay UK, the producers of MasterChef, told Sky News: “We are extremely sorry to anyone who has been impacted by any inappropriate behaviour by Gregg Wallace whilst working on our shows and felt unable to speak up at the time or that their complaint was not adequately addressed.
“Ways of reporting concerns whilst working on our productions, protocols around behaviour and training for both cast and crew, have improved exponentially in recent years and we constantly review welfare procedures across our productions to ensure that they are as robust as they can be.”
Sadiq Khan has hit back at politicians “spreading misinformation” about safety in London as new data shows the number of violent crimes leading to injury has fallen in every borough over the past year.
Figures from the mayor’s office for policing and crime compare the 12 months ending in August 2025 with the previous 12 months – and show there were 8,749 fewer crimes which resulted in someone being hurt, a drop of nearly 12%.
The borough of Havering in east London recorded the largest drop (16.3%) followed by Enfield in north London (16.1%).
The smallest decreases were in Greenwich (4.3%) and Kensington and Chelsea (4.6%).
Sir Sadiq said: “We’ve seen a number of politicians here and across the globe talking down London and spreading misinformation about crime and safety in the capital.
“The evidence is clear, our approach to tackling crime and its complex causes works. It’s driving down violence right across the capital.”
His comments come after Donald Trump reignited his feud with Sir Sadiq earlier this month by accusing him of doing a “terrible job” and claiming “crime in London is through the roof”.
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The US president also hit out at the mayor in a speech at the UN General Assembly on Tuesday, where he also made the outlandish claim that London “wants Sharia law” – something there is no evidence for.
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Trump attacks UN and London mayor
Asked about the attacks, Sir Sadiq said: “I think President Trump has shown he is racist, he is sexist, he is misogynistic, and he is Islamophobic.”
He added that the public would be “wondering what it is about this Muslim mayor who leads a liberal, multicultural, progressive, successful city that means I appear to be living rent-free inside Donald Trump’s head”.
According to the mayor’s office, overall homicides in London are at a 10-year low, and the city’s rate is lower than in Berlin, Brussels, Madrid, Paris and all major US cities.
The rate of homicide was down by 17% in the 12-month period to June this year compared with the 12-month period to May 2016, it previously said.
Image: Sir Sadiq speaks with a police officer during a walkabout in the West End earlier this year. File pic: PA
Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Rachel Williams said: “We’re targeting the most dangerous individuals, disrupting criminal networks, and investing in prevention to protect those most at risk.
“That’s why fewer people are being hurt, fewer lives are being lost, and London is becoming a safer city.”
The Conservatives rejected the suggestion that London is safer.
Image: Shadow home secretary Chris Philp claims ‘London isn’t safer’
Shadow home secretary Chris Philp said: “Under this Labour mayor, criminals know the odds are stacked in their favour.
“Only one in 20 robberies is solved, fewer offenders are being jailed, and more than a thousand police officers have been cut from the Metropolitan Police, with Sir Mark Rowley warning of further losses this year.
“Londoners don’t feel safer because London isn’t safer.”
A murder investigation is under way after a fatal stabbing in north London.
The Metropolitan Police said officers and the London Ambulance Service responded to reports of stabbing in Camden Gardens, NW1, after being called at 3.29pm on Saturday.
A 44-year-old man was treated at the scene for stab wounds before being taken to hospital, where he died.
Police are awaiting formal identification and a special post-mortem will take place, the force said.
Borough Commander Jason Sewart, who leads policing in Camden, said: “My team are working at pace to establish the full circumstances that led to this man’s tragic death in Camden Gardens.
“Our thoughts remain with the victim’s family and friends at this very difficult time. They continue to be supported by specialist officers.”
There will be increased patrols in the area as enquiries are made, he added. Anyone who many have information or CCTV footage is being asked to contact police.
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“This was an isolated incident and we do not believe there to be any threat to the wider public,” Cmdr Sewart said.