ONE MORE THINGMICHAEL SMURFIT jnr has emerged as an investor in Airone Ventures, the Leslie Buckley-backed Caribbean low-cost airline that had its launch aborted earlier this year.

Documents filed last month with the Companies Office by BJM Nominees, which is run by former rugby international Brendan Mullin, indicate that Mr Smurfit jnr secured a mortgage with Anglo Irish Bank using 226 shares in Airone Holdings Ltd in St Lucia as security.

The shares are held in trust by BJM. Mr Mullin is a backer of the airline venture, reported to have raised $30 million (€19.3 million). Denis O'Brien is also thought to have been a silent investor, and the backers are believed to have burned $4 million before turning off the engines.

A failure to secure a licence in Jamaica and the sharp rise in oil prices kept Airone grounded.

Mr Smurfit jnr's filing, however, hints at the takeoff being delayed rather than aborted.