Nine Naval Service divers are injured in port demonstration

The Department of Defence will be conducting an inquiry into yesterday's helicopter accident involving nine Naval Service divers during an air-sea rescue demonstration in Dublin Port for the Tall Ships Race.

Four of the divers were detained in hospital after the accident in the River Liffey, and the others were released. None of the divers was reported last night to be seriously injured.

The Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources, Dr Woods, has also requested a report from the Defence Forces into the incident, which involved a civilian helicopter on contract to his Department.

The accident occurred shortly after 3 p.m. when the divers were due to make a 20-ft vertical jump into the river from the east coast medium-range Sikorsky helicopter as part of the demonstration. The aircraft is flown by Bond Helicopters for the Irish Marine Emergency Service (IMES).

It is understood that an upsurge may have caused the aircraft to tilt, rather than hover. The divers hit the water at speed and at an angle, sustaining fractured rib and lung injuries.

An initial report submitted by Bond Helicopters to the Department of the Marine last night said that the exercise had been conducted as agreed in the brief with the divers beforehand.

A video of the exercise is in the possession of the Garda.

The divers were taken by ambulance to Tallaght and the Mater hospitals. The four detained last night were: Leading Seaman Michael Daly (32), married, from Cork; Able Seaman Nigel McCormack (23), single, from Moate, Co Westmeath; Able Electrician Damien McCormack (26), single, from Cobh, Co Cork; and Able Radio Technician Jim Cleary (26), single, from Whitegate, Co Cork.

The jump, and subsequent rescue by rigid inflatables, is a standard part of the air-sea rescue demonstration involving the Defence Forces and IMES, and was the fourth one made this year.

The Air Accident Investigation Unit of the Department of Public Enterprise and Employment has launched a formal investigation into the accident. It is appealing to anyone who has a photographic or video record of it to contact the unit at 01-6041293.