An anonymous donor has offered a cash reward to anyone who can help find the remains of three people who went missing during the Troubles.

The $60,000 (€54,000) reward is on offer to anyone with new information on the location of Columba McVeigh, Joe Lynskey and Robert Nairac.

All three were among 16 people who were officially classified as “Disappeared” after they went missing in the 1970s and 1980s.

It is believed they were abducted, murdered and secretly buried by Republican terrorists.

Disappeared

The remains of the other 13 have been located by the Independent Commission for the Location of Victims' Remains (ICLVR).

This morning, UK Crimestoppers said the reward has been offered in US dollars – with $20,000 set aside for the recovery of each body.

The information can be submitted 100% anonymously and the information will be used solely for the recovery of the remains and will not be shared with police.

Anonymous

“People giving information can be safe in the knowledge that no one will ever know who they are – not even us,” the charity said.

“That is a promise we have kept since the charity began more than 30 years ago.

“The Commission is doing an excellent job and to date the remains of 13 of the 16 Disappeared have been recovered.

“Our reward is not about finding out what happened to these people.

“The families of those who have yet to be found deserve to be able to hold a long-overdue funeral for their relatives.

“The reward was put up by an anonymous donor and is $20,000 USD for the recovery of each body. It can only be claimed for information that goes directly to us.”

The reward only applied to information passed to the Crimestoppers 0800 555 111 phone line or via its untraceable anonymous online form.