Twenty-seven years have passed since one of Waterford’s darkest days, when four members of the Irish Air Corps lost their lives after Rescue 111 crashed in the sand dunes at Tramore.

Captain Dave O’Flaherty, Captain Mick Baker, Sergeant Paddy Mooney and Corporal Niall Byrne were returning to Waterford Airport in the early hours of July 2, 1999, after successfully completing a rescue mission to assist a vessel in difficulty off Helvick Head.

It was the first night of a new 24-hour search and rescue service operating from Waterford Airport. However, after two unsuccessful attempts to land in dense fog, the helicopter crashed into the dunes near Tramore shortly after midnight, killing all four crew members on board.

On the anniversary of the tragedy, RNLI volunteers in Tramore reflected on the events of that night, when local lifeboat crews were also called out in the hope of assisting in the search.

In a statement, Tramore RNLI said the memory of those early morning hours remains with many current and former crew members.

‘Captain Dave O’Flaherty, Captain Mick Baker, Sergeant Paddy Mooney and Corporal Niall Byrne died while serving others. Today we pause to remember them. We remember their families, friends and colleagues who continue to carry the weight of their loss.’

The Rescue 111 tragedy remains one of the most significant incidents in the history of the Irish Air Corps and Irish search and rescue services.

Memorials, including a wooden cross at the crash site and a monument on Tramore’s promenade, continue to honour the four men who lost their lives while carrying out their duty.