Sir, – An OMNI Air International aircraft transporting armed US troops from Tinker air base in the US to the Middle East had an emergency involving a fire on its undercarriage while taxing on the main runway at Shannon airport on August 15th.
In addition to the weapons being carried by the soldiers, it is likely that ammunition was also being carried in the hold of this aircraft, which could have caused significant risks including to emergency personnel if the fire had spread to the large quantity of aviation fuel on board.
This is not the first such emergency involving US military associated aircraft at Shannon airport.
At least 15,000 aircraft associated with the US military or CIA have been refuelled at Shannon since 2001, most of which are carrying weapons and many probably also carrying munitions, in spite of US and Irish Government assurances to the contrary.
This war-related traffic is a disaster waiting to happen, not to mention the real actual disasters caused by the US military in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Syria, Yemen and elsewhere.
Damage is also being done to the reputation and future of Shannon airport by this unnecessary war traffic which is in breach of international laws on neutrality. But by far the greatest damage that is being facilitated by US military use of Shannon airport, is being done is to the people of the Middle East, where an estimated one million children have died due to war related reasons since the first Gulf War in 1991. – Yours, etc,
EDWARD HORGAN,
Castletroy, Limerick.