DISRUPTIONS:IRELAND WEST Airport in Knock, Co Mayo, was forced to close yesterday as heavy snow curtailed efforts to keep the runways operating. An Aer Arran flight from Dublin was cancelled while two flights from Britain were diverted to Shannon.
Last night an airport spokeswoman said it was hoped to have flights running normally this morning. Passengers were advised to check the airport website at www.irelandwestairport.com
Some flights, particularly those from Britain, were delayed at Cork and Shannon yesterday but the airport authorities said there were no major delays.
In Co Wicklow, fire crews cut two security personnel from their Group 4 Securicor van following a crash outside the village of Avoca.
The security van skidded and overturned on icy roads in the early afternoon, trapping the driver and his helper inside the vehicle. Personnel from the Arklow fire brigade were called to the scene and used heavy cutting equipment to free the two men.
“Two people were cut out of the van in an operation that took about two hours due to the armour plating on the van,” said Wicklow County Council’s chief fire officer Jim Dunphy.
Mr Dunphy said one of the two men was slightly injured in the crash. Both men were taken to Loughlinstown hospital following the incident.
A spokeswoman for Group 4 Securicor said the van was carrying cash at the time of the accident but that it had been secure at all times. Wicklow County Council gritted the roads to enable heavy lifting machinery to recover the van from the scene of the accident. Armed gardaí remained at the scene until the van was taken away.
The snow affected roads in the west with secondary roads in Galway, Roscommon, Mayo and Sligo said to be treacherous.
In Co Kerry, a man (19) was killed and his brother (17) was seriously injured in a two car collision near Tralee last night. The crash happened on the Tralee to Ardfert road at about 6.30pm when two vehicles collided head on.
The 17-year-old was said to be in a “serious” condition at Kerry General Hospital last night. The two people travelling in the other vehicle were not injured.
In Cork, icy conditions on the main N8 led to 10-mile tailbacks between Watergrasshill and the Dunkettle roundabout yesterday morning while icy conditions on the Youghal bypass led to a two-mile tailback for motorists travelling between Cork and Waterford.
Bus Éireann services are continuing to operate around the country with some delays. Dublin Bus also referred passengers to its website and said some restrictions would likely remain in place.