Independent investigation begins into crash at Cork Airport
An investigation has been launched into this morning's air crash at Cork Airport, which claimed the lives of six people and injured a further four.
The full independent investigation will be carried out by the Air Accident Investigation Unit (AAIU) of the Department of Transport.
“We will be reviewing the air traffic control tapes, the radar tapes, the weather, the operation of the aircraft,” said the AAIU's Jurgen White.
“So really it’s too early to give you any account, other than we are aware that the aircraft was making an approach to Runway 17 in Cork.
"As the aircraft was landing it was heard a loud bang, and the emergency services responded immediately to an aircraft that had inverted and had caught fire, approximately 1,000 feet down the road."
The Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) has pledged to co-operate fully with that investigation.
Cork Airport chief executive Pat Keohane said that the airport will be closed for the duration of that investigation.
"Certainly the airport will not be operational for a good period of time while they conduct their investigation and we will await direction from the IAA," he said.
"When they’re finished their investigation we will the look towards making the airport operational again."
All further enquiries about the accident should now be addressed to the AAIU at 01 6041293.
