Madam, - The Air Accident Investigation Unit (AAIU) would like to offer some clarification in response to Lorna Siggins's report on March 23rd, "Tuskar Rock crash caused by collision - RAF man".
The report states that Squadron Leader E Evers (RAF, retired) has established that the Aer Lingus Viscount which crashed on the March 24th, 1968 with the loss of 61 people was struck accidentally while a Fouga Magister training aircraft from the Air Corps was responding to a request from the Viscount to check its undercarriage. Such a statement is entirely unfounded.
The Fouga Magister trainer came into service with the Air Corps only in 1976, a full eight years after the tragedy at Tuskar Rock. The six Fouga aircraft (since retired, and none of which were equipped with ejection seats) had an illustrious career with the Air Corps with no hull or pilot loss during their entire service. Moreover, records provided by the Air Corps during the course of the investigation clearly show that the only aircraft to fly from Baldonnel on that fateful day were a Dove and an Allouette III, which were responding in a search and rescue role to the reported loss of the Viscount.
Inaccurate statements such as this are unhelpful and indeed must be distressing for the families who gathered in Cobh, Co Cork on Saturday to remember the loss of their loved ones. May they rest in peace. - Yours, etc,
JURGEN WHYTE, Chief Inspector of Air Accidents, Air Accident Investigation Unit, Department of Transport, Dublin 2.