Sombre search stalled

STANDING GUARD The Irish Navy’s LE Eithne in Blacksod Bay, searching for the three missing Coast Guard helicopter crew. Pic: Keith Heneghan / Phocus

Wreckage shows signs of impact with Blackrock Island

Anton McNulty

AS one of the largest search operations in the history of the Irish Coast Guard enters its second week, inclement weather continues to frustrate the sea search for the three missing crew members of Rescue 116.
Shortly after 9pm last night the Irish Air Accident Investigation Unit (AAIU) issued a statement saying: “A significant amount of wreckage has been recovered from the sea and this has been logged and will be brought to the AAIU wreckage facility in Gormanston in Meath for detailed examination.”
It added that some helicopter wreckage has been recovered from the general area of Blackrock Lighthouse.
“This wreckage is primarily from the tail area of the helicopter. At this early stage in the investigation it is not possible to be definitive about the exact nature of damage to the recovered wreckage or indeed the circumstances of the accident. However, there appears to be marks on some of the recovered wreckage which are consistent with the tail of the aircraft contacting rocky surfaces on the western end of Blackrock. The investigation has not yet definitively identified the initial point of impact,” their Chief Inspector of Air Accidents, Mr Jurgen Whyte, stated.
A major sea and land search involving over 200 personnel from a number of different agencies has taken place in Blacksod Bay since last Tuesday morning, when contact was lost with the Dublin-based Coast Guard helicopter, Rescue 116.
The specialist Irish Lights ship, the GrΡnuaile, which arrived on Sunday, has been able to pin-point four locations close to Blackrock lighthouse where rescuers hope to launch remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) to descend and search the seabed.
However, unfavourable weather conditions has restricted underwater searches for R116 and the Irish Coast Guard confirmed that it will be Wednesday at the earliest before any underwater searches can be undertaken.
“The plan is to get the ROV and divers into the water but it will be Wednesday at the earliest before we will have a window in the weather to do that,” explained John McLoughlin, the Operations and Training Officer with the Irish Coast Guard.
“We have over three metre swells out there and it is impossible to do anything in it. You have to have at least [less than] a two metre swell for the divers or ROV to work in. The GrΡnuaile will position itself off Blackrock and we hope to have a window to work in on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.”
The ROV Holland 1 belongs to the Marine Institute and is equipped with two robotic arms, high definition cameras and sonars and can work in depths of 3,000 metres.

Determined to continue
The search is focusing on an area 50 metres from Blackrock lighthouse where a signal from the helicopter’s black box was detected in a depth of 40 meters on Wednesday afternoon. The area is also the location where contact was lost with R116 in the early hours of Tuesday morning last.
Captain Dara Fitzpatrick was the only member of the four person crew recovered when she was picked up by the Achill lifeboat, but she died shortly afterwards. The three remaining crew members, Captain Mark Duffy, winch operator Paul Ormsby and winchman CiarΡn Smith have yet to be located.
R116 had been providing top cover to the Sligo-based R118 which was carrying out a medical evacuation of a fishing vessel 100 miles west of the Mayo coast. R116  had been returning to Blacksod to refuel when all contact was lost at approximately 1.30am.
Debris was found close to Blackrock lighthouse, located approximately 12km from Blacksod, and it is hoped remaining crew members are still in the fuselage of the helicopter.
The area around Blackrock lighthouse is described by Mr McLoughlin as ‘quite treacherous’ with tidal and current speeds of up to three knots, which is capable of moving large rocks.
Local fishermen are assisting the emergency services regarding the tide and current conditions and Mr McLoughlin said that without their knowledge and expertise, it would be a far more difficult operation.
The GrΡnuaile is capable of lifting up to 20 tonnes and it is hoped that if the conditions are favourable, they will be able to lift the helicopter from the sea shore.
The search for R116 is one of the largest multi-agency searches ever undertaken in Ireland and Mr McLoughlin explained that despite the tiring week long search, they are determined to recover the bodies of their colleagues.
“We rotate our resources which is something we are good at and to be honest the fresh legs are as determined as they would be on the first day. We are determined to find the three men no matter how long it takes.
“This is the biggest operation we have been involved in and the fact it is our colleagues we are looking for makes us more determined. This has never happened before to the Coast Guard and we are throwing all the resources at it,” he explained.

Taoiseach support
Meanwhile, An Taoiseach Enda Kenny said the four families of those who were lost in the crash need answers as he paid tribute to those involved in the search during his visit to Blacksod yesterday (Monday).
Mr Kenny met Civil Defence and Coast Guard personnel at Halla Naomh BreanΡn in Eachléim and said he could not praise highly enough the local community for the support they were providing to all those involved in the search.
Mr Kenny said answers were needed as to what had happened to the aircraft. He said this was vital for the families who lost relatives in the crash and also in terms of the Coast Guard service and the facilities it provides.
Mr Kenny said he felt it was important for him to travel to Blacksod and hoped by the weekend that more information would be available in respect of the search and the associated investigations into last week’s crash.
Speculation continues to mount as to what occurred to R116 and how communication was lost with it without a may-day distress being issued. Mr McLoughlin said nobody could say for definite what happened to R116 until the Irish Aviation Authority’s Air Accident Investigation Unit, who have been on site all week, carry out their work and release their report.
There is also a large international interest in this incident, as the Sikorsky helicopter that was lost is in widespread use around the world as a search and rescue craft.
The AAIU said last night that equipment aboard surface search vessels has detected a signal which is believed to be from the underwater locator beacon attached to the aircraft’s black box.
“This signal points toward an area which will be the focus of further, multi-agency investigation activities at the earliest opportunity, subject to weather,” they said.