In Co Westmeath, a helicopter mishap resulted in the death of two individuals. The men, who were both in their forties, lost their lives as their aircraft plummeted onto a pig farm’s rooftop in Jorristown. The fatal incident occurred in proximity to Raharney GAA club, nestled between Raharney and Killucan villages, at approximately half past 3 in the afternoon.
One of the deceased was an Irish citizen; Gardaí are presently engaged in communication with his family. There may be a potential involvement from Interpol to make contact with the relative of the other victim, who is presumed to be of East European origin.
The bodies have been transferred from the accident site to Regional Hospital Mullingar where autopsies are scheduled. The local coroner is aware of the situation. All services from Westmeath Fire and Rescue and the National Ambulance have now withdrawn from the accident site, which will be kept secured for future analysis.
Investigations into the mishap is the responsibility of the Air Accident Investigation Unit (AAIU), the principal body for investigating serious air incidents in Ireland. Gardaí will provide forensic and technical support where necessary. The AAIU is assembling a team of inspectors and have stated that they will provide additional updates when they are available.
The small helicopter crashed into outhouse buildings at the pig farm. It remains unclear whether there were any individuals in these buildings during the crash. As per flight data, the flight commenced from Weston, and the helicopter had been airborne for approximately 25 minutes when the event occurred.
Pat Hunt, the interim chief fire officer at Westmeath Fire and Rescue Service, revealed to Midlands 103FM that an extensive emergency response operation was in progress. He further noted that all units from Mullingar Fire Brigade had rushed to the site.
Declan Weir, who serves as the chairperson for the Raharney GAA club, provided commentary from near the location of the incident. He confirmed that the accident was indeed severe, and he believed that numerous fatalities had occurred. Additional information will be provided subsequently.