6 killed as Belfast plane crashes in Cork

[RAB - P]

Six people have been killed and six others injured after a small plane travelling from Belfast crashed in fog at Cork Airport.

The Manx2 commuter flight with 10 passengers and two crew on board crashed on the runway on its third attempt to land before 1000 GMT.

The plane overturned and burst into flames. Eight fire crews rushed rushed to the scenel.

The six injured people are being treated at Cork University Hospital.

Flight number BPS 7100, a scheduled daily flight from Belfast to Cork, left George Best Belfast City Airport at 0812 GMT.

Tom O'Sullivan, from Cork Country Council, said a major emergency disaster plan had been activated.

"I understand the aircraft overturned on landing and caught fire. The fire is now out," he said.

Speaking earlier on Thursday, he said the emergency services' priority was to help survivors trapped in the wreckage and look for four remaining passengers who were unaccounted for.

Manx2 has set up a special helpline on 028 90427004.

The accident will be investigated by the Air Accident Unit of the Department of Transport.

BBC news

 

[Evastar]

was just about to post a thread on this, heard it on the radio earlier, awful news condolences to the families and friends of those involved

Six killed in Cork plane crash - National News, Breaking News - Herald.ie

Plane crash at Cork airport

http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0210/cork.html

 

[miggy]

Great airport Cork congratulations to all staff and emergency crew for dealing with the incident so quickly. My thoughts are with all that was involved in the crash and the families of the deceased

 

[snp-g]

Bad news, thoughts are with their families.

 

[Evastar]

The Manx2 commuter flight from Belfast, flight number NM7100, had 10 passengers and two crew on board when it crashed.

The 18-seater light turboprop aircraft overturned and caught fire while making a third attempt to land in heavy fog.

A witness at Cork Airport told RTÉ News that weather conditions were so poor that the crash could not be seen from the terminal building.

Four of the surviving passengers at Cork University Hospital are said to be a serious condition - the other two are described as comfortable.

The flight was scheduled to depart Belfast at 7.50am and eventually left at 8.12am It was due to land in Cork at 9.10am.

The plane first attempted to land from a southerly direction on Cork's main runway, known as Runway 17. This was aborted due to low visibility.

It then tried to land on the northerly approach to the main runway, known as Runway 35. The Aviation Authority says it is believed wind was not a problem, but the pilot was still unhappy with visibility.

The plane went into a holding position for 20 mins, before making a third attempt to land on the southerly approach to the main runway.

At 9.42am, the plane was ten miles out from the airport. Minutes later, the plane hit the ground at what is called the 'western threshold' of the runway. Eye witnesses reported hearing a loud bang.

Live Updates:

1453 Four of the six survivors of this morning's plan crash remain in a serious condition at Cork University Hospital - two are said to be comfortable.

Dr Gerry McCarthy, who heads up the hospital's Trauma One Emergency Department, said that while the four's injuries are serious, they are not life-threatening.

They include fractures and a punctured lung. All four remain under observation in the hospital's resuscitation room.

The five men and one woman are understood to be in their 40s and 50s.

Some relatives have arrived at the hospital and have been directed to a Relatives Room - set up by hospital authorities and staffed by grief counsellors and the hospital's chaplain.

The bodies of the deceased have been brought to the City Morgue on the grounds of Cork University Hospital and arrived while the press briefing was on.

Ambulance Control put the hospital on alert at 10am this morning and it was officially confirmed as an emergency at 10.35am. The hospital's emergency plan kicked into place and all off-duty staff were called to work.

A triage station was set up and the hospital prepared for the arrival of up to 15 injured. They had been told that a plane had flipped over on landing and had gone on fire.

A medical team headed up by Dr Stephen Cusack was dispatched to the airport preparing to deal with multiple injuries, including burns, but it has been confirmed that no-one suffered burns.

The injuries included fractures and a punctured lung as well as multiple tissue injuries.

Six survivors were identified and dispatched to the hospital in a fleet of ambulances arriving just before 11am.

LIVE - Six dead in Cork Airport plane crash - RT News

 

[oneman]

Terrible news but I don't understand why he still attempted to land after 2 failed attempts. Surely there must have been a diversion airfield ?

 

[Evastar]

Terrible news but I don't understand why he still attempted to land after 2 failed attempts. Surely there must have been a diversion airfield ?

they've been discussing that on the radio, Dublin would have probably been the diversion airfield, not clear yet why he didnt go there after the second attempt