The Disappeared is a term which refers to people believed to have been abducted, murdered and secretly buried during the Troubles in Northern Ireland. The Independent Commission for the Location of Victims' Remains is in charge of locating the remaining bodies, and was led by forensic archaeologist John McIlwaine.
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Background
Seventeen people, all Catholics, including one British Army officer, all males, except for Mrs. Jean McConville, are believed to have been kidnapped and killed by republicans during the Troubles. Another, Lisa Dorrian, a young Catholic woman, is believed to have been abducted by loyalists. The Provisional IRA admitted to being involved in the forced disappearance of nine of the sixteen – Eamon Molloy, Seamus Wright, Kevin McKee, Jean McConville, Columba McVeigh, Brendan Megraw, John McClory, Brian McKinney, and Danny McIlhone. British Army officer, Robert Nairac, who disappeared from South Armagh, was a Mauritius-born Roman Catholic. The organisation said they could only accurately locate the body of one of their victims, but gave rough ideas for the remaining eight. As of September 2015, five of the bodies have still not been found. Gareth O'Connor, is believed to have been killed by the IRA after the Good Friday Agreement. Lisa Dorrian, a young Catholic woman, is believed to have been abducted by loyalists, taking the total number of 'Disappeared' up to eighteen.
1970s
Jean McConville disappeared in December 1972. Her body was found on a beach in County Louth in 2003; in October 2014 a man was arrested in connection with her murder, and two further men were arrested in December 2014.
Peter Wilson (aged 21), a native of West Belfast, with five siblings, was described as "a vulnerable man with learning difficulties". He was abducted by the IRA in the summer of 1973, somewhere in the St James area of Belfast, killed and secretly buried at Waterfoot, County Antrim.
Columba McVeigh, a 17-year-old from Donaghmore, County Tyrone, disappeared in 1975. The IRA allege he had confessed to being a British Army agent, instructed to infiltrate the IRA.
Brendan Megraw disappeared in 1978. In August 2014 a bog in County Meath was searched for his body, with human remains discovered in September.
Gerard Evans, 24, was a man from Crossmaglen who disappeared while hitchhiking in County Monaghan in March 1979. In March 2008 a map was given to Evans' aunt. In 2008, the Independent Commission for the Location of Victims' Remains appealed for more information regarding his disappearance. Remains were found in County Louth in October 2010, which were later confirmed as being Evans' in November 2010. An alleged member of the Provisional IRA South Armagh Brigade told the Sunday Tribune that Evans was executed for being an informer.
1980s
Charles Armstrong was a 57-year-old father-of-five who went missing in Crossmaglen while walking to mass in 1981; his car was later found in Dundalk. Armstrong's family began a fresh, private search for his remains in October 2003. They were located in County Monaghan, Ireland in July 2010.
2000s
In March 2005 Lisa Dorrian, a 25-year-old Catholic, disappeared after attending a party at a caravan park in Ballyhalbert. She is believed to have been taken by loyalists.
In September 2015 the bodies of Seamus Wright and Kevin McKee were found in a bog in Coghalstown, County Meath, Republic of Ireland.