Door falls off Irish Army helicopter and lands in Dublin school
- Published
The Irish Air Corps AW139 helicopter, like this one, was returning to base after transferring a patient to a Dublin hospital
A door has fallen off an Irish military helicopter and into the grounds of a secondary school in Dublin.
The rear door detached while the helicopter was returning to Casement Aerodrome south-west of the capital shortly before 18:00 local time, said an Irish Army spokesperson.
The AW139, which the army uses for medical services, then landed in Moyle Park, in the suburb of Clondalkin.
Nobody on the ground or in the air was injured during the incident.
The door came off after the helicopter had completed a life-saving mission in transferring a patient to a Dublin hospital, said the Air Corps.
It added that Gardaí (Irish police) were called and arrived on the scene within five minutes; they have since returned the door to the Air Corps.
An investigation team was on site within half an hour and the Air Corp's flight safety division is conducting a full investigation.
"Once the area has been analysed the door will be removed and transported to Baldonnel," said an Irish Army statement.
The Irish Defence Forces added that the emergency air service would resume on Friday morning - with a replacement aircraft and crew.