The Galway Mountain Rescue Team is tonight searching for a hillwalker who has been missing since becoming separated from his group at 2pm this afternoon.

The group had set out to walk across an area of wilderness south of the N59 Clifden Road between Oughterard and Maam Cross known as Logganaffrin.

The man was reported missing by the remaining members of the group at 5:30pm once they reached the designated endpoint of the walk to find he had not yet arrived.

Team members were deployed along roads bordering the eastern and western edges of the search area and began a search for the missing man at approximately 7pm.

Mobile phone contact was established with the missing man however he has been unable to distinguish any landmarks or pinpoint his location for rescuers.

Weather conditions are hampering the search with strengthening winds and low cloud limiting visibility to less than 20 meters.

Two Search and Rescue Dog Association air-scenting search dogs and handlers were requested to assist in the search and have just arrived on-scene.

Local Coastguard teams are also assisting, with Salthill Gardaí co-ordinating operations.