Inquiry begins after the deaths of a man and a young boy in Offaly plane crash

The deaths have been confirmed of the pilot and a seven-year-old boy near Clonbollogue in Offaly on Sunday.

Air accident investigators will continue their inquiries following the deaths of a pilot and a seven-year-old boy in a plane crash in County Offaly on Sunday. The bodies of the victims were removed from crash site - a bog near Clonbullogue - following a six-hour operation last night. The pilot was recognised as an experienced flying instructor. On Monday morning, two engineers and a pilot from the Air Accident Investigation Unit will continue their inquiry into the events that led to the tragedy.

It's understood that the light aircraft crashed around 11km from Edenderry.

According to Gardaí, a single engine Cessna Caravan aircraft took off from Clonbullogue Airfield with 16 parachutists on board at 2.25pm on Sunday afternoon. All 16 made their jump from the craft prior to any accidents happening, however witnesses then stated that they saw the aircraft crash shortly afterwards. There were two people on board, the pilot and a seven-year-old boy. This is the second aircraft crash to occur in Ireland in less than a fortnight. One man, believed to be in his 40s, was fatally injured on the evening of Friday 4 May when his light aircraft crashed about three miles outside of Ballina.