A fire broke out on a Government jet carrying Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern last night, his Department confirmed today.
The plane was flying from Cork to Dublin when five minutes into the journey smoke and fumes were spotted coming from a panel by a window on the plane.
A Department spokeswoman said that the captain put out the fire with an extinguisher.
The plane then returned to Cork airport where Mr Ahern and three Department officials were taken off. They were transported to Dublin early this morning.
