Preliminary report into Cork plane crash to be published today

A preliminary report into a plane crash that killed six people and injured six more will be published today.

Air accident investigators are expected to reveal why the Manx2.com flight from Belfast crashed at Cork Airport when it attempted to land in thick fog on February 10.

Pilot Jordi Gola Lopez, 31, from Spain and his English co-pilot Andrew Cantle, 27, from Sunderland, were among the victims.

The others who died were: Brendan McAleese, 39, a businessman in Co Tyrone; Pat Cullinan, 45, a partner in leading accountancy firm KPMG in Belfast; Captain Michael Evans, 51, Deputy Harbour Master in Belfast; and Richard Noble, a 49-year-old businessman who was originally from Derbyshire but lived in the North.

Mr McAleese was a cousin of Dr Martin McAleese, husband of President Mary McAleese.

Manx2, which is operated by Spanish firm Flightline BCN, has since ended its service between Belfast and Cork. The aircraft was owned by Airlada.

The Department of Transport's Air Accident Investigation Unit (AAIU) will release its preliminary findings online.

It is believed the plane touched down and a wing clipped the runway before the craft flipped over and landed on grass, catching fire.

The 19-year-old Fairchild Metroliner aircraft had undergone a full maintenance check the week before the accident.

It is understood the survivors of the plane crash plan to take a multi-million euro legal action against the Spanish operator of the flight.

One passenger, father-of-three Mark Dickens, 40, from Kent, has retained London-based specialist aviation law firm Stewarts Law to seek compensation over the crash.

James Healy-Pratt, a partner in the firm and head of its aviation department, have accused Manx2 of reneging on its responsibilities after it claimed a lawsuit should be taken up against the Spanish operators, Flightline BCN.

Other survivors include graduate Donal Walsh, 22, from Waterford; Peter Cowley, from Glanmire in Co Cork; Laurence Wilson, 51, from Glenoe, Co Antrim; Heather Elliot, who is originally from Kinsale in Co Cork and now lives in Belfast; and Brendan Mallon from Bangor in Co Down.

Meanwhile, the Lord Mayor of Cork and the Mayor of the County of Cork will host a Joint Ecumenical Service in the Cathedral of St Mary and St Anne, on Roman Street, Cork, on Sunday to remember and pray for those who died or were injured in the accident and to acknowledge those involved in the emergency response.