Four bodies recovered as missing plane is found in Irish mountains

Rescuers searching for a missing UK-registered light aircraft found wreckage in a mountainous region on Ireland's east coast yesterday, police confirmed.

The discovery was made near Corriebrock mountain, Co Wicklow.

The Piper PA-28 single-engine plane left Gloucester shortly before 10am yesterday for Kilrush airfield in Co Kildare with four people on board. But the last radar sighting was at 12.30pm over the Wicklow mountains, about 20 miles out of Kilrush, according to the Irish Aviation Authority.

Gardai confirmed all four bodies have now been recovered from the wreckage of the light aircraft. It is reported that a hillwalker came across the wreckage.

A Gardai spokesman said: "The Air Accident Investigation Bureau are on site and have commenced their investigation."

Superintendent Michael Lernihan, search co-ordinator, said he could not confirm any details, including gender or age, of the victims. The plane was embedded in the ground and rescuers were having to use cutting equipment to gain access. "It crashed and the nose and front part is embedded in the ground," Supt Lernihan added.

Relatives said the pilot was Sharif Booz, a property developer, but would not confirm with whom he was travelling.

Speaking from the family home in Almondsbury, Bristol, Mr Booz's nephew, who asked not to be named, said he and his grandparents were anxiously waiting to find out what had happened.

A neighbour, who also asked not to be named, said Mr Booz, who was was a father of two, flew regularly.

According to the operator of Kilrush airfield, Ian Valentine, the pilot has been using the strip for the past six or seven years to visit relatives in the nearby town of Newbridge.

Mr Valentine said he was an experienced pilot in his mid-forties.