The red-and-white tail end of a distressed helicopter was noticeable, sticking out from the roof of a pig house where it met an unfortunate end at the scene of a crash on Tuesday afternoon. It fell roughly several hundred metres to the west of the tidily maintained premises of the Raharney GAA club, nestled between Raharney and Killucan just off the R156 in Co Westmeath.
Eyewitness accounts reported the helicopter appearing to lose power before plummeting into the grey slate-covered pig farm located beyond an expansive cornfield. There are no near neighbouring farmsteads; the pig farm is tucked away down a slender lane bordered by tall hedges on either side.
Following the tragedy, the hurling club suspended all practice sessions on Wednesday in mourning and extended its sympathies to the families of the victims. Two male casualties were reported in the helicopter crash in Co Westmeath.
With a police escort, two funeral cars departed from the lane leading to the farmhouse around 6.30pm. Subsequently, a police car obstructed the entry to the lengthy lane leading to the pig farm.
Local resident, Edmond McHugh, disclosed he was attending to his herd of cattle when he heard a raucous crash but shrugged it off. His assumption was that one of the cows had knocked against a gate. He stated that there was no sign of smoke or fire, despite being directly opposite the crash site. His daughter, Aileen, admitted she was completely unaware of the nearness of the event, as she had her headphones on, only realising the gravity of the situation when the police and an ambulance arrived.
Another local, who preferred to stay anonymous, narrated that they heard a loud noise outside their residence. They searched for the source of the noise but were unable to find it, despite their efforts.
The heartbreaking news trickled in, leaving us in a state of shock and anguish. Our neighbourhood is closely connected, and the thought of this disaster unfolding so nearby fills me with sheer dread for the victims’ families. It’s horrific to think that this area was the bearer of such intense sorrow.
The helicopter, which took off from Dublin’s Weston Airport, had been airborne for approximately 25 minutes before the calamity struck. Taoiseach Simon Harris, posting on platform X, empathised with all affected parties and commended the efforts of the emergency response teams.
Sorca Clarke, a Sinn Féin TD for Longford-Westmeath, expressed her profound sadness upon hearing of the double loss. She extended condolences to the bereaved family, friends, and acquaintances, and commended the valiant efforts of the first responders as well as other emergency services, acknowledging them also in her thoughts that evening.
This isn’t the first time that such a disaster has occurred in the locality. Back in 2006, a small plane fell in this area resulting in one fatality. The residents of this small rural community are reeling from this unexpected and tragic incident.