A ping from the blackbox flight recorder from Rescue 116 has been located.
A massive air, sea and shoreline search has been ongoing off the Mayo coast, since the helicopter disappeared from radar screens in the early hours of Tuesday morning.
Captain Dara Fitzpatrick was confirmed dead yesterday, but Mark Duffy, Paul Ormsby and Ciaran Smith are still missing.
Members of the Air Corps, coastguard, navy and Gardai are all involved in the search operation.
Jurgen Whyte is the Chief Aeronautical Officer with the Air Accident Investigation Unit.
He says locating a ping from Black Box is significant:
Meanwhile,
Local tributes are being paid to the late Captain Fitzpatrick.
The Cathaoirleach of Sligo County Council Hubert Keaney has expressed his sympathy to the family of Captain Dara Fitzpatrick and says his the thoughts of the community in Sligo are also with the families of the three remaining missing crewmen.
Hubert Keaney, who is in America this week for the St. Patrick’s day events, said in a statement today that our rescue services display enormous courage in carrying out their vital work, often in very challenging circumstances.
He has also paid tribute to the Sligo coast guard who remains involved in the ongoing search operation – the fallen helicopter was in fact going out to support the Sligo 118 went it tragically went down.
At a meeting of Sligo County Council today a vote of sympathy was extended to the families of the captain and crew of Rescue 116.
It’s believed one of the missing crew men has strong family connections with South Sligo.
The Midlands North-West MEP Mairead McGuinness has also paid tribute to Captain Dara Fitzpatrick saying despite the challenges of the job, she was never afraid to carry-out these life-saving tasks:
Minister of State and Waterford TD John Halligan got to know captain Fitzpatrick while she was stationed in the South East
The Transport Minister has met with the families of Rescue 116 in Blacksod as an intensive search continues for three Coastguard crew members missing off the Mayo coast.
A massive air, sea and shoreline search has been ongoing, since the helicopter disappeared from radar screens in the early hours of Tuesday morning.
Captain Dara Fitzpatrick was confirmed dead yesterday, but Mark Duffy, Paul Ormsby and Ciaran Smith are still missing.
Minister Shane Ross says it’s been a devastating experience for the families involved.
He spoke to reporters after their meeting:
