Officials are probing whether the Rescue 116 helicopter tried to make an emergency landing at Black Rock lighthouse before the fatal crash.
It is believed that Captain Dara Fitzpatrick made a desperate attempt to save her helicopter and crew when it encountered “catastrophic” difficulties.
The search continues for the Coast Guard’s Sikorsky S92 aircraft and the bodies of three men who have not been found since the helicopter disappeared without warning off Co Mayo early on Tuesday.
Debris has been located on Black Rock, a small island with a lighthouse and helipad 13km west of Blacksod on the Mayo coastline where the helicopter was due to refuel.
Investigators are now examining the theory that the aircraft suffered a sudden and serious mechanical failure which forced an emergency landing.
Doesn’t really sound plausible that there wouldn’t have been enough time to issue a mayday in that scenario.
Saw captain Fitzpatrick was buried today. Didn’t see anywhere about a post mortem or cause of death. Surely a cause of death would help rule in or out various scenarios for what happened the chopper?
Dara Fitzpatrick’s funeral was held at a church on road R116 today Also the second pilot was from a village called Blackrock in Co Louth, the same name as the rock where the tail of his crashed helicopter was found
No doubt it’s a fair point, but is there room on TFK for fair and reasonable points ?
Sure the lads had the poor lady dissected and badly burned and in several pieces this morning, despite the poor lady being actually found alive and wholly intact.
All seems to be point to them having flown into Black Rock.
The guy cooridinating the search says the windows of opportunity for exploring the suspected crash site are very limited, but they are hopefully there will be a break in the weather tomorrow morning.
Section from an update issued by the AAIU this evening :
Furthermore, the AAIU has visited Black Rock Light House, on the approaches to Blacksod bay, which is close to the last recorded position of the helicopter. Some helicopter wreckage has been recovered from the general area of Black Rock Light House. This wreckage is primarily from the tail area of the helicopter. At this early stage in the investigation it is not possible to be definitive about the exact nature of damage to the recovered wreckage or indeed the circumstances of the accident. However, there appears to be marks on some of the recovered wreckage which are consistent with the tail of the aircraft contacting rocky surfaces on the Western end of Blackrock.
Also the second pilot was from a village called Blackrock in Co Louth, the same name as the rock where the tail of his crashed helicopter was found