Thursday 10 February 2011

***BREAKING*** Belfast Flight Crashes at Cork Airport - Fatalities Reported

10:56 There is breaking news on the BBC that a Manx 2 Flight from Belfast to Cork has crashed. Reporst are that eight of the passengers on board have been killed and 14 are injured.

My thoughts and prayers are with all the relatives of anyone who was on that flight at this time and the uncertainty of their situation.

update 11:48: According to the Belfast Telegraph Manx2 Flight NM 7100 left Belfast's George Best Airport at 8:12 this morning bound for Cork. There were 10 passengers and 2 crew on board. On  arrival it found the airport on Ireland's south coast shrouded in fog.

The pilot made an aborted attempt to land on runway 17, but due to the low visibility her turned around and make a second approach this time to runway 35. This attempt was also aborted and he went around again to return towards runway 17.

Eye witnesses report that they heard a loud bang soon after the plane touched down and a fireball. Gardaí, fire crews and ambulances from across the city and county are responding.

The Telegraph is reporting that only six of those on board are dead, but their families and those who were also on the flight  must still be awaiting news.

The number for concerned relatives to call is Manx Airlines (028) 9042 7004

Update 11 Feb 7:21

The names of those that have died include
  • Pat Cullinan from County Tyrone a partner in the accountancy firm KMPG. 
  • Brendan McAleese a business man from Cookstown, Tyrone and a cousin of the husband ot the Irish President Mary McAleese. 
  • Captain Michael Evans deputy harbour commisioner in Belfast.
  • The Spanish pilot of the plane and his Irish co-pilot
  • And a British businessman.

Donal Walsh a volunter for International Fellowship of Evangelical Students is one of the six survivors apparently walking away from the crash with only minor injuries.

The following is the statements from the Northern Irish political parties or their spokespeople (more when I find them)

Margaret Ritchie SDLP


Naomi Long Alliance


Tom Elliot UUP

As this is a breaking story I will be updated as the day progresses

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