Two people were killed and seven were injured, two critically, when a small plane crashed while attempting to land in Co Galway this afternoon.
The eight-seater Cessna Grand Caravan plane is understood to have missed the runway on its approach to Aerfort na Minna at Inverin at around 2.45pm. There were eight people and a pilot aboard at the time.
The Shannon rescue helicopter took several casualties from the crash site to University College Hospital Galway, the Valentia Coast Guard said. A number of people had to be cut from the wreckage. Three people were reportedly able to walk away from the crash.
At least two passengers are said to be in a critical condition in hospital in Galway.
Among those on the plane were several Clifden-based business people.
The cockpit of the aircraft, which was American-registered but Irish-owned, was completely destroyed by the impact.
Eyewitnesses reported seeing fire officers using cutting equipment to free trapped passengers from the aircraft. Other emergency personnel sprayed the entire crash scene with foam in case fuel had spilled on to the ground.
A Coast Guard spokeswoman said the aircraft was making a return trip from Inishmaan in the Aran Islands when it crashed.
The airport, which is about 15 years old, was immediately closed following the incident.
Two crash scene investigators from the Air Accident Investigative Unit of the Department of Transport arrived at the scene this evening.