Latest: Dublin woman feared dead in Snowdonia helicopter crash

On what is thought to be her Facebook profile, Mrs Burke states she is originally from Dublin.

Superintendent Gareth Evans, of North Wales Police, said the crash victims had not yet been formally identified but their families were being supported by specialist officers from Thames Valley Police.

He added: "I'm sure you'll appreciate this is an agonising time for the families and friends of all involved.

"Our thoughts are very much with them at this time."

Police said five bodies were found along with the wreckage of the helicopter in the Rhinog mountains near Trawsfynydd today.

A major search of the area was launched on Wednesday afternoon when the privately-owned Twin Squirrel aircraft failed to arrive in Dublin.

Neighbour Elizabeth Thornley said the couple had not lived at their home long and had been "doing up the house for about a year and a half".

The 24-year-old, who said the couple "keep to themselves", told the Press Association she saw a lot of cars near the house on Thursday morning.

She said: "Then one of the neighbours said 'have you heard about the crash, the helicopter crash?' I thought it had crashed into a horse's paddock, but they said no Kevin's had crashed."

One Hulcote resident, who did not give his name, said Mr Burke was originally from Manchester, a pilot himself, and had a 14-year-old son and 19-year-old daughter.

Another neighbour, Richard Mann, said he and Mr Burke had both previously been Hulcote and Salford parish councillors.

He said: "Kevin, I think, is a very astute businessman, outgoing, hail fellow well met, always seemed very cheery."

Update 1.50pm:The bodies of five people have been found with the wreckage of a missing helicopter in Snowdonia.

Police and mountain rescue teams had launched a major search after the helicopter failed to arrive in Dublin on Wednesday afternoon after leaving the Luton area.

Superintendent Gareth Evans, of North Wales Police, said the details of the victims were not being released by police but specialist officers were supporting their families.

He said the exact location of the crash site was not being revealed to allow recovery of the bodies from the "very difficult and challenging terrain".

A full investigation will now be led by the Air Accident Investigation Branch.

An extensive search of the Irish Sea and Snowdonia was launched at about 4.15pm on Wednesday after the distress and diversion system lost radar contact with the privately-owned Twin Squirrel aircraft.

Mr Evans said: "Initially, it's last known position was believed 'over sea' in the Caernarfon Bay area but this was then narrowed to a land-based search coordinated by North Wales Police in Snowdonia involving all local and RAF mountain rescue teams.

"Local conditions were described as atrocious with visibility down to less than 10 metres in places.

"My thanks go out to the professionalism and commitment of all those personnel involved in this operation."

He added: "I'm sure you'll appreciate this is an agonising time for the families and friends of all involved.

"Our thoughts are very much with them at this time."

He said the bodies had not yet been formally identified.

Update 12.30pm: The bodies of five people have been found with the wreckage of a missing helicopter in Snowdonia.

Police and mountain rescue teams had launched a major search after the helicopter failed to arrive in Dublin on Wednesday afternoon after leaving the Luton area.

Superintendent Gareth Evans, of North Wales Police, said the details of the victims were not being released by police but specialist officers were supporting their families.

Update 10.15am: The search for a helicopter missing with five people on board is now focusing on the Snowdonia National Park.

The privately-owned Twin Squirrel aircraft is believed to have left Milton Keynes to fly to Dublin, via Caernarfon Bay, before disappearing on Wednesday afternoon.

An extensive search of the Irish Sea and Snowdonia was launched at around 4.15pm on Wednesday after the Distress and Diversion system lost radar contact with the helicopter.

The search was scaled back overnight due to poor weather conditions but North Wales Police and mountain rescue teams are continuing to search on the ground.

Coastguard commander Mark Rodaway told BBC Breakfast the focus for the search had shifted inland.

He said seven mountain rescue teams and a dog search team were involved in trying to find the missing helicopter.

He said: "There's a whole range of inquiries that we will engage with; first of all we're working very closely with air traffic control and we're looking at a review of radar information and, secondly, obviously we will look for mobile phone data.

"All of that combined has given us a new focus, in and around the Snowdonia National Park."

Two UK Coastguard search and rescue helicopters based at Caernarfon and St Athan were scrambled to scan the area between Caernarfon Bay and the Dublin shore on Wednesday, with all vessels on the Irish Sea route at the time also asked to report sightings.

On Thursday a Coastguard spokeswoman said "air assets" would not be able to resume the search until weather conditions improved.

She said: "We've had some reports of less than 10 metres visibility in areas so the search teams really are being hampered by poor weather conditions.

"No air assets have been sent out by the Coastguard.

"That said, we are still looking to support North Wales Police in any way we can.

"We will do that when the weather provides us with that opportunity."

A police spokesman said: "North Wales Police are co-ordinating ground searches with mountain rescue teams and working with the Coastguard and the Aeronautical Rescue Co-ordination Centre (ARCC)."

The Eurocopter AS55 Ecureuil 2 (Twin Squirrel), now made by Airbus, is a widely used twin-engine light utility helicopter which has a reputation for durability and requiring low maintenance.

First introduced in the mid-1970s, the all-weather aircraft has evolved through several variants and is used by both civil and military applications.

With a cruising speed of 140mph and a range of nearly 440 miles, the model is used for extended low-level flights involved in filming and surveying.

Champion rally driver Colin McCrae was at the controls of a Twin Squirrel with his five-year-old son Johnny and his friend Ben Porcelli, six, on board in 2007 when it crashed in the grounds of his Lanarkshire home, killing all three.

Update 7.05am:The search for a helicopter that has gone missing over the Irish Sea has been partially suspended.

Mountain rescue teams are searching in the Snowdonia area of Wales for a helicopter that went missing with five people on board.

Radar contact was lost with the helicopter that was en route to Dublin from Milton Keynes at around 4pm yesterday.

An extensive air and sea search was launched in the Irish Sea - however this has now been called off due to low lying cloud and poor visibility.

There are no plans to continue to the aerial search unless weather improves significantly.

Earlier: A search is continuing this morning for a helicopter missing over the Irish Sea.

Five people were on board the privately-owned aircraft, which left Milton Keynes en route to Dublin.

Radar contact was lost and a search operation was launched shortly after 4pm yesterday.

The UK Coastguard is coordinating search efforts off north Wales, while the Irish Coastguard is assisting with a communications search.

But operations are being hampered by bad weather, with visibility low.

A spokesperson said last night: "There is quite poor visibility which is hampering the search efforts. There is a lot of low cloud coverage.”

But, she said the search was still ongoing.

Dan Welsh from BBC Radio Wales is following developments.

“The aircraft, a privately owned twin squirrel red helicopter, was thought to be on its way to Dublin after leaving Milton Keynes.

“Two Coast Guard helicopters have been searching the route its thought the aircraft had been taking. A Mayday has been issued to all vessels on the Irish Sea.”