Initial examination completed at site of fatal plane crash

Investigators have completed an initial examination of the site of a fatal plane crash in which a person died on the south-east coast of Ireland.

Emergency responders including rescue helicopters and police rushed to the scene at Lisselan near Tramore, Co Waterford, after the light civil aircraft crashed at approximately 12.50pm on Thursday.

Air crash investigators described the plane as a “twin-engined general aviation aircraft”.

The victim appears to have been the sole occupant of the plane, according to the Irish police service An Garda Siochana.

The Air Accident Investigation Unit (AAIU) of the Department of Transport deployed four air accident inspectors to the site.

In a statement, it said it had completed its initial examination by 9pm and had exited the site.

It said it would return on Friday morning to recover the wreckage to the AAIU’s wreckage examination facility at Gormanston, Co Meath.

Online flight-tracking websites show the privately owned Vulcanair P68C was flying between Sligo and Beziers, in France, when it turned around off the south coast of Ireland and headed back towards Waterford Airport before the crash.

Sinn Fein TD for Waterford David Cullinane said the crash was a “shock” to the local area, adding that the community’s thoughts are with whoever was on the plane.