Crash plane 'was checked last week'
The Manx2 plane which crashed at Cork Airport killing six people was put through a full maintenance check in Spain last week, it emerged today.
Airline chairman Noel Hayes said he was absolutely satisfied the flight crew - co-pilot Andrew Cantle from York and Spanish pilot Jordi Gola Lopez – were fully qualified.
Their full training records and qualifications have been passed to inspectors at Ireland’s Air Accident Investigations Unit.
“The last 24 hours have been a very long and dark 24 hours for me but I know they were probably a longer and darker 24 hours for the families of the bereaved and my heart goes out to them,” Mr Hayes said.
“I offer my sincere condolences for yesterday’s tragic accident.”
Arriving at Cork Airport, Mr Hayes said the doomed 19-year-old Fairchild Metroliner aircraft had been inspected last week but he declined to comment on whether it was properly equipped to land in dense fog.
Mr Hayes signed a book of condolence at the airport before travelling to see four survivors at Cork University Hospital along with the North's Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness.
Two others who were discharged said they owe their lives to the swift response of emergency crews.
Donal Walsh from Waterford and Laurence Wilson from Larne said their hearts went out to the loved ones of the six dead.
“We want to express our condolences to the families of the deceased and say that our thoughts and prayers are with them at this very difficult time,” the two men said in a statement after leaving hospital.
“We want to thank all the emergency services, the ambulance, fire service and An Garda Siochana. If it was not for their swift action the loss of life would have been greater.”
Outside the hospital the Irish tricolour, the Union flag and the Spanish flag flew at half mast as a mark of respect for the six dead.
They included a relative of Ireland’s president, whose family described him as a true gentleman.
Brendan McAleese, 39, a businessman in Co Tyrone, was a cousin of President Mary McAleese’s husband Martin.
A McAleese family statement said: “The impact of yesterday’s tragedy has yet to sink in. Brendan was such a special character, a doting father, loving husband, son and brother, and a true gentleman to all who knew him.”
Co-pilot Mr Cantle, 27, and originally from Sunderland but living in York, had only been flying with Manx2 for a fortnight.
Grieving mother Ann described her son, a former RNLI volunteer, as “an all-action hero” devoted to a flying career.
His mother said he had told them he would be flying a Royal Mail plane not the Manx2 aircraft yesterday.
“That’s all he has ever wanted to do in his entire life,” she said.
“He was just like an all-action hero. He just wanted to do anything like that.
“From being six or seven years old that was his total life.”
