It could take up to a year for investigators to learn what caused yesterday’s helicopter crash in Westmeath. 

Emergency services were called at 3.30pm to the scene of the crash close to Ratharney GAA Club. 

Two men, both in their 40s, were pronounced dead and their bodies have been taken to Mullingar for post-mortem examinations. 

One man is from Ireland and Gardaí are reaching out to his next of kin; the other man is understood to be from Eastern Europe.

On Newstalk Breakfast, the Air Accident Investigation Unit’s former head of engineering Graham Liddy said the Bell 505 helicopter was being flown as part of a training exercise. 

“The helicopter was engaged in what we call autorotated training - that’s practising for the contingency of an engine failure in the helicopter,” he said. 

“It teaches the pilot under instruction how to perform a landing after the engine in a helicopter actually fails. 

“The helicopter in this case had performed four autorotations in the area of the accident. 

“It was on the fifth practice autorotation that the tragedy occurred. 

“So, we don’t know whether the autorotation had anything to do with the cause of the accident or not and it would be very wrong to speculate on that at this point in time.”

Thinking of all those involved in the Westmeath helicopter crash. This is a live operation and I am being kept briefed.

My thoughts & gratitude are also with all the emergency services working to help at this time

— Simon Harris TD (@SimonHarrisTD) July 30, 2024

Mr Liddy described the Bell 505 helicopter as a “very popular” model with thousands routinely flown all over the world. 

It has a maximum capacity to carry five people but there were only two on board at the time - something Mr Liddy said would be “normal” during a training exercise. 

Helicopter crash in Westmeath. Picture by: RollingNews.ie

Gardaí have promised they will assist the Air Accident Investigation Unit with their inquiry into the crash by providing "any technical or forensic services which may be required in the course of their investigation."

“One of the difficulties in this situation is that these smaller aircraft are very rarely equipped with flight recorders and this makes the job of the investigation a bit more difficult,” Mr Liddy said. 

“They have to trawl through the records and use kind of old fashioned methods to try and determine what actually happened. 

“It may be quite obvious from the evidence available at the site what caused the accident - or it may not. 

“It may take a large number of months, even a year to unravel.”

The scene of the crash has been preserved overnight ahead of the investigation.

Main image: The helicopter crash. Image by: RollingNews.ie