A helicopter has crashed into a building in County Westmeath, Ireland, resulting in a “number of casualties”, according to local officials.
Police and emergency services are at the scene of the crash, which happened in the Joristown area of Killucan at 3pm.
“Gardai and emergency services are currently at the scene of an incident involving a helicopter at a location near Killucan, Co Westmeath which occurred at approximately 3.30pm,” a police statement said.
“As this is a live and ongoing operation, no further information is available at this time.”
‘Shocking and tragic’
Pat Hunt, of Westmeath Fire and Rescue Service, told local radio: “We understand it’s an incident involving an aircraft, a helicopter, crashing into a building in the Joristown Upper townland.
“What we understand is that there are a number of casualties involved, but we can’t at this stage confirm the number.”
The Air Accident Investigation Unit, which has sent a team of investigators to the area, said a single engine helicopter was involved.
Killucan has a population of several hundred people and is around nine miles from the town of Mullingar, in the midlands of Ireland.
Ken Glynn, the mayor of Mullingar-Kinnegad district, told the broadcaster RTE that the incident was “shocking and tragic”.