Six people are confirmed dead and six others are injured following a plane crash at Cork Airport. The Manx2 commuter flight from Belfast, flight number NM7100, had 10 passengers and two crew on board when it crashed in heavy fog at 9.45am.
The company confirmed that the aircraft, an 18-seater Fairchild Metroliner, was carrying ten passengers and two crew members – a captain and a co-pilot.
Two of the injured were able to walk from the wreckage of the plane, while four were taken out on stretchers. The four injured passengers in Cork University Hospital are described as being in a serious condition, while the other two are stated as comfortable.
It is believed that the aircraft had made three attempts to land at the airport and the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) said debris was scattered onto the runway and over a wide area.
Because the flight originated in Belfast, UK authorities will be providing the investigation team with the passenger manifest and with all details of how much fuel the plane was carrying.
It is not known at this stage if any of the passengers were from County Tipperary.
A witness at Cork Airport has stated that weather conditions were so poor that the crash could not be seen from the terminal building. Passengers in the terminal were unaware that a crash occurred because of the dense fog surrounding the building.
Aviation expert Gerry Byrne said that Cork Airport has ‘category 2 instruments’ for landing, but he was not sure if the plane would have been capable of landing using those instruments.
The Air Corps is preparing to fly an investigation team from the Department of Transport from Baldonnel to the scene of the crash at Cork airport. Troops are also on standby in Cork to assist at the scene if required.
Representatives of Manx2 are expected to arrive at Belfast City Airport shortly.
I wonder did Pat Carey get money from Vedanta, or did he read about them before he gave the go ahead.