Rescue 116 Tragedy

For the Irish Coast Guard, this was beyond the professional - they were searching for their own colleagues

An Irish Navy vessel scours the waves around Blackrock lighthouse off the coast of Co Mayo this weekend, as the search for the three missing crew members of the crashed Irish Coast Guard helicopter continues Pic: Eamonn Farrell/RollingNews.ie

A short drive up from Blacksod pier provides a panoramic view over the Atlantic towards Achill. By Thursday afternoon, cloud cover had rolled back and Blackrock lighthouse became visible, looming in the distance. The scene of the Rescue 116 tragedy was laid starkly bare.

The road down to Blackrock lighthouse was closed off to regular traffic. At first light last Thursday morning, a trickle of coast guard vans and unmarked cars passed the ...