TWO lighthouse keepers yesterday described hearing an RAF Chinook helicopter seconds before it ploughed into a hillside, killing the 29 people on board.
Unable to see it in the thick fog, they could hear it clearly as the helicopter took Northern Ireland's top security experts to a conference at Fort George, near Inverness in Scotland.
Lighthouse keeper and flying enthusiast Mr David Murchie said he knew from the sound of the helicopter's rotors that it did not have the height to clear the hills above the Mull of Kintyre. His colleague Mr Hector Lamont could hear its rotors above him, but he did not suspect anything was wrong.
Mr Murchie said he heard the helicopter approach the lighthouse at 5.55 p.m. He recognised it as a Chinook from the sound of its twin rotors. At this point fog had reduced visibility to 20 yards. At first he thought it might be heading for the lighthouse helipad, but then he heard it pass the far side of the lighthouse.
"I immediately became very concerned at that point, because I knew within myself he had not the altitude to clear the high ground to the rear of us." He then heard a dull thud followed by at sound like "whooshing" and then silence.
Ten members of the RUC Special Branch, nine British army intelligence officers, six MI5 officers and the four man RAF crew died in the accident on June 2nd, 1994, less than 15 minutes after take off from Belfast International airport.
Pathologists testified that each person died instantly from massive and non survivable injuries. Although there was a fire after the impact, they were dead already. The inquiry continues today.