Man confirmed dead in Waterford aircraft crash

A man has died after a light aircraft crashed near Dungarvan, Co Waterford this evening.

The single-seat aeroplane, believed to be a BD5, came down at Clonea Upper at around 6.45pm.

The Irish Coastguard helicopter Rescue 117 along with the Bunmahon coastguard, Gardaí, Fire and ambulance services are all attending the scene. Air accident investigators have also been called in.

Dungarvan plane crash scene pic.twitter.com/XPs03q11wD

— Damien Tiernan (@damienwlr) July 25, 2015

A Garda spokesman said: “We believe it to be a single-seat jet of some description and that a male in his 60s has died.

“There was just one person involved, the sole occupant of the aircraft.

“We have preserved a scene down there and the Air Accident Investigation Unit attached to the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport are on their way there.”

Scene currently in Dungarvan at light aircraft crash #BeatNews pic.twitter.com/c4zYn3hCWg

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Waterford Airport confirmed in a statement that the aircraft took off from Waterford this evening at 6.35pm, and its last known contact was with Shannon Airport.

The cause of the crash is under investigation and the man’s next of kin are being informed, he added.