Rescue 116 crew badly let down says family of Capt Dara Fitzpatrick

The family of Capt Dara Fitzpatrick have said the crew of the Rescue 116 who were killed when the Irish Coast Guard helicopter crashed in 2017 were “badly let down”.

A final report by the Air Accident Investigation Unit (AAIU), published on Friday, found several navigational issues and problems contributed to the crash.

Capt Fitzpatrick, Capt Mark Duffy and winch team Paul Ormsby and Ciarán Smith all died when their Sikorsky S-92 helicopter crashed at Blackrock island, 13km west of Blacksod, Co Mayo, in March 2017.

The helicopter was being operated by a company called CHC Ireland, on behalf of the Irish Coast Guard.

The crew had been tasked to provide top cover for another helicopter, which was to airlift a casualty from a fishing boat 225km (140 miles) off the west coast at night.

The report states that while 200 feet above the sea, Rescue 116 struck the western end of Blackrock island and then hit the sea.

The report said there were a number of factors which likely prevented the flight crew detecting Blackrock in time to avoid the piece of land, such as issues with databases and charts available.

In a statement, the Fitzpatrick family said “our thoughts today are with the other three families and all who love the four crew who died”.

The AAIU report had highlighted “many failings in the operation of the Air Sea Rescue Service operated by CHC Ireland”, it said.

“We believe that Dara and the other crew members of the Rescue 116 were badly let down by the operator CHC not providing them with the safe operating procedures and training that they were entitled to expect.”

The family said the crews often operated in “extreme weather conditions” and at night, while they might be fatigued.

The statement called for recommended changes and reforms to be implemented “urgently”. The air rescue service should “in future pay attention to the feedback they get from flight crew as to any inadequacies and hazards in the operation, so that such an accident will never happen again”, the family said.

The report found Blackrock island “was not identified on radar”, and was not on terrain databases used by the crew.

The situation was also “compounded by darkness and poor weather”, it said.

CHC Ireland welcomed the final report and said it would implement all recommendations for safety reforms.

Rob Tatten, general operations manager, expressed “deepest sympathy” to the families and friends of the four crew who died in the “terrible tragedy”.

“Their colleagues in Search and Rescue bravely continue to serve the people of Ireland on behalf of the Irish Coast Guard as they have done for over 20 years. Their unwavering commitment to the role that they perform is admirable,” he said.

“Our crews continue to fly hundreds of search and rescue missions every year, saving many lives. Our team is justifiably proud of our global safety record and everyone in CHC Ireland is committed to the safe delivery of our service,” Mr Tatten said.

“We continue to honour the memories of Ciarán, Dara, Mark and Paul. They will never be forgotten,” he said.

The Department of Transport has said it fully accepts the recommendations of the report, and “will continue to evaluate the findings of the report in the coming weeks”.

Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan described the crash as a “tragic accident that claimed the lives of four individuals who were dedicated to saving the lives of others”.

The publication of the report was a “key step in ensuring that such accidents are prevented in the future”, he said.

The Irish Air Line Pilots’ Association said the report showed the loss of life was “preventable”, and highlighted “regulatory and systemic issues” that put the crew in danger.

The statement said the helicopter crew were “exemplary in the performance of their assigned task,” while operating “offshore in challenging conditions”.

The Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) said the report would “contribute to the prevention of future aviation accidents both in Ireland and indeed globally.”

The authority said it accepted recommendations addressed to the IAA, which it said had “already been implemented or are proceeding to full implementation”.

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