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Rescue 116 crew remembered at wreath-laying ceremony

An RNLI tribute will take place for the crew of Rescue 116 today. Dunmore East, Tramore, Fethard ...
Newstalk
Newstalk

09.03 16 Apr 2017


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Rescue 116 crew remembered at...

Rescue 116 crew remembered at wreath-laying ceremony

Newstalk
Newstalk

09.03 16 Apr 2017


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An RNLI tribute will take place for the crew of Rescue 116 today.

Dunmore East, Tramore, Fethard and Kilmore Quay lifeboats along with Dunmore East Coast Guard will set sail together to lay a wreath.

The ceremony will take place at sea, in memory of those who lost their lives in the tragic helicopter crash.

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The bodies of Captain Dara Fitzpatrick and Captain Mark Duffy have been recovered but two others - winch operator Paul Ormsby and winch man Ciarán Duffy - remain lost at sea.

A flare will be set off and a minutes silence observed to remember each of the crew and pray for the recovery of those who are are still missing.

This Easter marks the one-month anniversary of the accident off the Mayo coast.

Captain Dara Fitzpatrick was the first confirmed casualty of the crash of helicopter Rescue 116 off the Mayo coast | Image: Irish Coast Guard/RollingNews.ie

Last week, a preliminary report into the crash found that the aircraft's on-board warning system did not include data relating to Blackrock Island.

The helicopter crashed into the island on March 14th, with the loss of all four crew members.

In the report the Air Accident Investigation Unit (AAIU) said its initial inquiries found that an Enhanced Ground Positioning Warning System (EGPWS) did not have the "lighthouse obstacle" included in an obstacle database and that "the terrain of the island" was not listed on a terrain database.

The AAIU said its inquiry is ongoing and a final report into the accident will be published in due course.

Captain Mark Duffy was member of the crash of helicopter Rescue 116 | Image: Irish Coast Guard/RollingNews.ie

Audio from the black box revealed a crew member identified an island in front of the helicopter, and recommended a right turn.

A crew member said to turn "about 20 degrees right". The commander then asked the co-pilot to 'select heading', which the co-pilot confirmed by replying 'roger'.

Just two second later, the rear crew member was recorded as saying: "Come right now, come right, COME RIGHT."

The last recorded audio from the flight deck was the co-pilot saying "we're gone".


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