The Shannon-based Irish Coast helicopter was forced to make a priority landing at Cork Airport on Thursday evening after experiencing a technical issue while on approach to land at Cork University Hospital with a patient.
Rescue 115 departed Shannon shortly before 6.00pm yesterday having been tasked to an incident in the Glenbeigh area of Co Kerry along with the Iveragh unit of the Irish Coast Guard.
After leaving the scene with a casualty, the helicopter crew advised air traffic controllers at Shannon that they were routing to Cork University Hospital. The crew was later handed over to controllers at Cork Airport.
Shortly before the helicopter was due to land at Cork University Hospital (CUH), the crew issued a Pan-pan radio call which, although not as serious as a May-day, still indicates an urgency on board.
The crew advised controllers that they were overhead CUH but wished to ‘route direct to Cork Airport to land immediately.’ The helicopter had descended to around 700 feet before climbing again and diverting to Cork Airport just a few minutes away.
The helicopter landed safely just after 7.00pm. It’s understood that the crew reported that they had experience a low rotor issue.
It’s understood that Bristow Ireland engineers were dispatched from Shannon Airport to Cork to investigate the issue with the helicopter. The helicopter remains on the ground at Cork Airport this evening.
A spokesperson for the Department of Transport confirmed: “On 23rd October, the Irish Coast Guard Search and Rescue helicopter conducted a priority landing at Cork Airport after crews reported a technical issue.
Safety is the overarching priority and crews requested priority landing as a standard procedure. The aircraft landed safely and without incident.
The aircraft is being examined by engineers who will clear it for operations ahead of being returned to service. The interoperability of four SAR bases ensured that there was no interruption to services.
Services at Shannon are being provided by a spare helicopter deployed from the Dublin (Weston) Coast Guard base.”
Bristow Ireland Limited and the Air Accident Investigation Units (AAIU) have been contacted for a comment.
Earlier this year, another Bristow Ireland AW-189 was grounded at Kerry Airport for a number of days after experiencing a technical issued.
On June 2nd, the Shannon based helicopter had been on a training exercise when it diverted to Kerry Airport. As a result, the Waterford based helicopter, Rescue 117 (still operated by CHC Ireland) had to travel to Kilkee in Co Clare to undertake a search and rescue mission that would have covered by Rescue 115.