One man has died and a second is seriously injured after a helicopter crash in Co Clare.
The Irish Helicopters aircraft was inspecting the route of a Bord Gáis pipeline when it went down near the village of Ballynacally, 10 miles outside Ennis.
A spokeswoman for the Department of Transport confirmed that the pilot had been airlifted to hospital with serious injuries and that a second man had died at the scene. Both men were employed by Irish Helicopters, the spokeswoman said.
She said emergency services and investigators from the Air Accident Investigation Unit were at the scene.
A spokeswoman for Bord Gáis said inspections are carried out every two weeks to ensure there are no unauthorised developments along the route of the pipelines.
She said Bord Gáis wished to convey its sympathies to the families of those involved in the crash.
