By MICHAEL McDONNELL
michael@northern-standard.ie
IRISH Coastguard pilot Dara Fitzpatrick, who died tragically in the air-sea rescue helicopter crash off the Mayo coast early on Tuesday morning, had strong connections with Cootehill and Co Cavan, the Northern Standard can confirm.
Many tributes have been paid to 45-year-old Captain Fitzpatrick, who was one of four crew members aboard the Dublin-based Sikorsky S-92 helicopter that went down shortly before 1am. Chief pilot Mark Duffy from Dundalk, Co Louth and winchmen Paul Ormsby and Ciarán Smith from north Co Dublin were still missing as we went to print yesterday evening.
President Michael D Higgins described Tuesday’s tragedy as a “dark day” in the history of the Irish Coast Guard, while Taoiseach Enda …
