The search for the host galaxy of the gamma-ray burst GRB 000214

We present UBVRI-band observations taken ~300 days after the BeppoSAX γ-ray burst GRB 000214. This GRB did not show a detectable optical afterglow; however, due to the localization of a previously unknown, fading X-ray source at a tentative redshift in the range 0.37–0.47, we searched with the ESO 3.6 m telescope for objects with photometric redshifts consistent with the mentioned X-ray redshift range. We report four host galaxy candidates, which might be the subject of future spectroscopic observations, in order to confirm their redshifts.