Technical fault most likely cause - report

A report into the Tuskar Rock plane crash in 1968 has concluded that the Aer Lingus plane was not brought down by a British army missile.

The report says that a technical fault in the tail of the Viscount aircraft was the most likely cause of the crash, which claimed 61 lives on March 24th, 1968.

Despite more than 30 years of speculation that the plane was downed by a British test missile or an unmanned British aircraft, the report said it was more likely to be corrosion or a bird strike that caused the crash.

There were 57 passengers and four crew members on board Aer Lingus flight 712 when it crashed off the Wexford coast at Tuskar Rock.

The plane was en route from Cork to London.

Only 14 bodies were ever recovered.

"Possible causal factors are metal fatigue, corrosion, flutter or a bird strike," the report into the crash concluded.

It continued: "We have carefully examined all aspects of the tests conducted in the UK ranges and of the sea and air activities performed on that Sunday. It is our opinion that all theories involving the presence of another aircraft can be rejected."

The report was compiled by a team of international experts at the request of Public Enterprise Minister Mary O’Rourke.