Aer Corps AW139 in emergency landing

An Agusta Aw139 helicopter of the Irish Air Corps made an emergency landing in Killarney this afternoon after the left hand door fell off in flight. The helicopter was carrying Minister for Tourism Martin Cullen, an adviser to the Minister and a crew of three and had just departed from the grounds of the Malton Hotel in Killarney three minutes earlier when the incident happened. The helicopter descended from an altitude of 500ft and landed in the grounds of the Killarney Golf and Fishing Club. 

The helicopter had routed from Waterford to Killarney this morning and was returning to Dublin.

The aircraft will be kept on the ground until a Military Airworthiness Inspection Team and Air Corps technicians make an examination.