THE Government jet had to make an unscheduled landing at Casement aerodrome in Baldonnel yesterday afternoon shortly after taking off from Ireland West Airport Knock.

The Taoiseach Enda Kenny and a number of officials were en route to Brussels for crunch talks on the Greek crisis when the incident occurred.

Mr Kenny and his advisers had left Knock airport shortly before 4pm. However, it is understood that lights came on in the cockpit which led to the plane making an unscheduled landing in at the military airfield in Baldonnel at 4.30pm.

The technical issue was fixed on the ground and the plane continued on to Brussels.

Read More

A statement from the Department of Defence read: "After an indicator light came on in the cockpit, the flight crew followed normal procedures and elected to make a precautionary landing at Baldonnel. This was not an emergency landing and the issue that caused the light to come on was resolved very quickly."

Online Editors