Emergency landing for Ahern as light fitting catches fire

THE Government jet carrying Foreign Affairs Minister Dermot Ahern, was forced to make an emergency landing minutes after taking off when a fire broke out on board.

The Department of Defence, confirmed yesterday that the fire was due to a faulty fluorescent light fitting onboard the Beechcraft King Air jet.

At around 9.30pm on Monday the jet took off from Cork Airport, but within minutes smoke and flames were noticed in the cabin. The captain immediately radioed the airport to say he was turning back to land.