An experienced pilot was killed last night when the helicopter he was flying crashed in heavy fog in west Kerry.
The privately-owned Bell 206 Jetranger was en route from Weston Airport, Co Kildare, to Tralee when it hit a mountainside near Lispole, six miles from Dingle. The helicopter was due to pick up passengers from the Tralee races.
The pilot, in his late 30s and from Mount Merrion in south Dublin, died instantly. He was the sole occupant, gardaí said.
Although the cause of the accident has not yet been established, it is believed the pilot may have lost his bearings as heavy mists engulfed the helicopter.
Emergency services sealed off the scene ahead of the arrival this morning of Department of Transport air accident investigators.
A spokeswoman for the Irish Aviation Authority said the helicopter went down near mountainous terrain outside Lispole shortly after 7 p.m.
A member of the public witnessed the crash and alerted gardaí. The helicopter was due to collect racegoers in Tralee but failed to arrive, gardaí said.
"He got lost in the fog and became disoriented. When that happened, he was in real trouble. He didn't know where he was or which direction he was going," a garda said.
"It's a miracle nobody else was on board. He was on his way to Tralee but seems to have strayed off course."
The pilot has flown professionally in Ireland for more than 15 years. He was a co-owner of the helicopter along with two other men.
The Bell 206 Jetranger is the most commonly used commercial helicopter in Ireland.
The five-seater aircraft, which has an exemplary safety record, belonged to Irish Helicopters and was sold to its current owners in the mid-1990s.
A Department of Transport spokesman said last night that a full air accident investigation would be carried out. A preliminary report will be presented to the Minister, Mr Brennan, within weeks.