ALBAWABA- Emergency crews rushed to a rural field near Waterford Airport on Thursday afternoon after a twin-engine light aircraft carrying four people crashed short of the runway, with one person feared dead and three survivors receiving treatment, Irish authorities said.
The crash occurred around 12:50 p.m. near Tramore in Co. Waterford, after the pilot of aircraft EI-HPY, believed to be a Vulcanair model, declared a mid-air emergency and attempted to return to Waterford.
The plane had departed Sligo earlier in the day and was en route to Béziers-Cap d'Agde Airport in southern France before veering off course roughly 50 kilometers offshore.
Witnesses reported seeing the aircraft flying low and in apparent distress before it struck terrain in Lisselan, flipping on impact. Videos circulating on social media showed smoke rising from the overturned fuselage in open fields as rescue teams arrived.
More than 25 Gardaí officers, firefighters, and ambulance personnel responded, cordoning off surrounding roads and urging the public to avoid the area. Early indications point to non-life-threatening injuries among three occupants, two men and two women were on board, but authorities have not yet confirmed the reported fatality.
The Air Accident Investigation Unit (AAIU) has dispatched inspectors to the site and launched a full investigation. Early speculation centers on possible engine failure or fuel issues, though conditions were clear with light winds at the time.
