Helicopter Carrying 5 People Goes Missing Over Irish Sea

A helicopter with five people on board has gone missing over the Irish Sea.

The privately-owned twin squirrel red helicopter is believed to have left Milton Keynes on Wednesday en route to Dublin, via Caernarfon Bay in North Wales. 

A spokeman for the Irish Coast Guard said the UK Coast Guard are concentrating on the area of the Irish Sea near north Wales.

He said the Irish Coast Guard have also been asked to assist in the search.

Contact with the helicopter was lost earlier this afternoon, and after contacting all airbases with no sightings or radio contact, the UK Coast Guard were notified at 4.15pm to start a search operation.

UK Coastguard coordinating search operation for overdue privately-owned helicopter #CaernarfonBay #IrishSea area https://t.co/ItQ7QEpRWj

— Maritime&Coastguard (@MCA_media) March 29, 2017

Coastguard involved in major search operation for private helicopter missing over Irish sea since midday todayhttps://t.co/nBXctyVr6v pic.twitter.com/7tIj4XO6T2

— NavyLookout (@NavyLookout) March 29, 2017

UK Coast Guard duty commander Peter Davies told RTE: "We have established a search plan between Caernarfon Bay and the shore of Dublin and currently have two Coast Guard helicopters searching the route.

"We are in the process of contacting all the vessels in the Irish Sea that were in the vicinity around midday and we are continuing Mayday broadcast action for any vessels currently in the area to contact us if they have any further information.

"At the moment we are appealing to these vessels and to the public that if they have seen a twin squirrel red helicopter to please contact 999 and ask for the Coast Guard."

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