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| Irish coastguard helicopter goes missing with four crew members on board | Irish coastguard helicopter goes missing with four crew members on board |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A major search is underway for an Irish coastguard helicopter that went down off the west coast of Ireland, as fears mount for three missing crew members. | |
| It had been providing safety and communications support for another helicopter involved in an overnight rescue operation when contact was lost at around 1am. | |
| One of the four crew members on board was located and pulled from the water at around 7am and was taken to hospital in a critical condition. | |
| Coastguard helicopters from Sligo and Shannon, lifeboats, local fishing vessels and Air Corps maritime patrol aircraft are involved in ongoing searches off the coast of County Mayo. | Coastguard helicopters from Sligo and Shannon, lifeboats, local fishing vessels and Air Corps maritime patrol aircraft are involved in ongoing searches off the coast of County Mayo. |
| A spokesperson for the Irish coastguard said the missing helicopter had been providing cover in the evacuation of a crewman on a UK-registered fishing vessel who required urgent medical attention, approximately 150 miles west of Eagle Island. | A spokesperson for the Irish coastguard said the missing helicopter had been providing cover in the evacuation of a crewman on a UK-registered fishing vessel who required urgent medical attention, approximately 150 miles west of Eagle Island. |
| "Owing to the distance involved, safety and communication support, known as Top Cover, was provided by the second Coast Guard helicopter, the Dublin based R116,” he said. | "Owing to the distance involved, safety and communication support, known as Top Cover, was provided by the second Coast Guard helicopter, the Dublin based R116,” he said. |
| "The search operation is being coordinated by the Coast Guard Rescue Coordination Centre in Malin Head. | "The search operation is being coordinated by the Coast Guard Rescue Coordination Centre in Malin Head. |
| "Both helicopters refuelled at Blacksod prior to transiting to the scene." | "Both helicopters refuelled at Blacksod prior to transiting to the scene." |
| Declan Geoghegan, the Irish coastguard's operations manager, said debris believed to belong to the helicopter had been found in the water. | |
| “We don't know what happened and obviously there will be an air accident investigation into it,” he told BBC Radio Foyle. | |
| “We'll continue to search for the missing crew members until such time as we have recovered them and the flight recorder.” | |
| Shane Ross, the Irish transport minister, expressed his ”deep concern“ over the Dublin-based helicopter's disappearance. | Shane Ross, the Irish transport minister, expressed his ”deep concern“ over the Dublin-based helicopter's disappearance. |
| "As the search for the Dublin-based helicopter R116 is currently under way I would like to express my sincere support and sympathies for all those involved, particularly those family members who are awaiting news of their loved ones,” he said. | "As the search for the Dublin-based helicopter R116 is currently under way I would like to express my sincere support and sympathies for all those involved, particularly those family members who are awaiting news of their loved ones,” he said. |
| "This is an extremely difficult time for all concerned." | "This is an extremely difficult time for all concerned." |
| No storms or extreme weather conditions were reported in the area at the time of the aircraft’s disappearance. | No storms or extreme weather conditions were reported in the area at the time of the aircraft’s disappearance. |
| Additional reporting by PA | Additional reporting by PA |