AN ELDERLY IRISHMAN has died while on a pilgrimage in Italy.

It’s reported the man, aged 79, was found on the Appennino Romagnolo walkway located along a trek from Florence to Rome.

According to local newspaper, Forli Today, the alarm was raised when the man failed to turn up at the farmhouse he had booked to stay in Modigliana on Wednesday evening.

A search team from the fire service and police immediately began to search for the man.

However, search efforts had to cease due to darkness. The search resumed at first light on Thursday morning, which included firefighters, members of the civil defence and a rescue helicopter.

The man’s body was discovered on Thursday night at 10.30pm at the bottom of a cliff along the pilgrimage trail, in ​​Monte Forcella.

It’s believed the man may have fallen ill while walking along the pilgrimage route.

A spokesman from the Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed to TheJournal.ie that they are providing consular assistance to the family.

Read: Secondary school teachers’ union recommends rejection of public pay deal>

Read: Hurricane Irma weakens to Category 3 as it heads for Florida>