Fears for crew as IAC Pilatus PC-9 crashes

Fears were growing tonight for the safety of the two occupants of an Irish Air Corps Pilatus PC-9 aircraft which crashed in hilly terrain on the Galway / Mayo border. The aircraft was one of three aircraft which departed Baldonnel this evening with the intention of landing at Galway's Carnmore airport to refuel before resuming their training flights. Shortly after 17.00 utc an eyewitness called ATC at Shannon to report an aircraft had flown low overhead, followed almost immediately by a loud bang. A crash site was subsequently discovered by emergency services in the Crumlin East area of Co. Galway. The two remaining aircraft from the training mission, serials 261 and 266 recovered to Galway Carnmore airport just after 17.30 utc. Investigation teams from the Air corps and the Air Accident Investigation Unit of the Dept. of Transport are due to visit the site at first light.