Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis
Air Corps Crew Named
Crew Details PC-9
Captain Derek Furniss (32) and Cadet David Jevens (22) are the two crew members that died in the crash of the Air Corps PC-9 (Tail # 265) last night at Cornamona, Co. Galway.
Captain Derek Furniss joined the Defence Forces in October 1994 and is a qualified pilot since 1996 and a qualified flight instructor since 1999.
He has over 3,000 flight hours and was the Chief Flight Instructor on the Pilatus aircraft and member of the Air Corps PC-9 Display Team.
Derek, originally from Ballinteer, Dublin 16 was single and living with his partner in Dublin.
Cadet David Jevens joined the Defence Forces as an Air Corps Cadet in 2006 and was at the advanced stages of flight training on the PC-9 with over 160 flight hours and 50 simulator training hours over the past three years flight training.
He was due for commissioning as a pilot later this year. David was single and from Glynn, Co. Wexford.
Currently, the Air Accident Investigation teams are on scene at the crash site which is approx. 2 – 3 kilometres from Maam Cross, Co. Galway. The onsite investigation is estimated to take 48 – 72 hours initially. Gathering information from the site has commenced with data from the flight and cockpit voice recorder that have been located.
The Defence Forces ask for respect for both families at this very difficult time. Funeral arrangements for the deceased are a matter primarily for the families, but every assistance is being provided by Air Corps personnel.
General Officer Commanding the Air Corps, Brigadier General Ralph James met the Furniss family last night and is meeting the Jevens family later today to extend sympathies on behalf of the men and women of the Defence Forces.