Wife pays tribute to Cork crash victim

The wife of a man killed in the Cork plane crash has paid tribute to her caring “one love”.

Andrea Evans said the pain was hard to bear during a poignant eulogy for Captain Michael Evans.

The Belfast deputy harbour master, 51, was one of six to die when his Manx2 flight from Belfast crashed in thick fog last Thursday at Cork airport.

Mrs Evans wrote: “I am told this pain will ease in time, I know that it is not true, for in my life I had one love and Michael that was you.”

Mr Evans had four children: Darren; Dean; Rebecca and Jordan.

Dean wrote: “Gone but not forgotten we all love and miss you. Sorry I could not be there for you, I will take care of the family, don‘t worry, just enjoy your new peaceful life.”

The funeral will be held on Thursday in Sinclair Seamen’s Presbyterian Church in Belfast’s Corporation Square in the heart of the city‘s docklands. The church is full of naval and shipping memorabilia and the pulpit has a ship‘s prow integrated into it.

Mr Evans worked for Belfast Harbour for nine years.

Mrs Evans added the pain was hard to bear in a death notice carried in the Belfast Telegraph.

“Do I have to go through life knowing you are not there? Please someone explain to me why he had to go, are there any reasons? I really need to know,” she wrote.

“I sit here and remember all the lovely times we shared, the talks, the laughter, I know you really cared.”

Their children penned their own words.

Darren wrote: “Today we live our lives a different way, but our love is still with you every day. Missing you dad.”

Also paying tribute was Dr Gerard O‘Hare, a Newry businessman and chairman of Belfast Tall Ships in 2009.

“Michael was a pleasure to work with and will always be remembered,” he wrote.

Funerals for two of the victims were held yesterday.

Co Tyrone businessman Brendan McAleese, 39, who was a cousin of President Mary McAleese’s husband Martin, was buried after a funeral service at St MacNissius church in Tannaghmore, Antrim.

A funeral for 45-year-old Pat Cullinan, a partner in leading accountancy firm KPMG in Belfast, took place at St Patrick’s Church in the Co Tyrone village of Cranagh.

The other victims were Spanish pilot Jordi Gola Lopez, 31; co-pilot Andrew Cantle, 27, from York and 49-year-old businessman Richard Noble, who was originally from Derbyshire but lived in the North.