Investigators are continuing their inquiries at the scene of a helicopter crash which injured seven British soldiers, airmen and civilians in south Armagh on Saturday.
The RAF Puma helicopter crashed on the side of Slieve Gullion hill shortly after 10.30 on Saturday morning as it approached a British army watch tower.
Nine people were on board, including airforce crew, soldiers and what were described as "civilian communications contractors". Some of the injured were trapped in the wreckage for two hours and needed to be cut free by firemen. Seven were airlifted to the Daisy Hill Hospital, Newry.
Three were discharged and four taken to the Royal Victoria Hospital Belfast where two were described as stable and two, one a civilian, as seriously ill. Witnesses described having seen the helicopter spinning in the air for a short time before it hit the side of the mountain, and it appears that two of those on board used ropes to escape the aircraft before it crashed. Army spokesmen were quick to rule out any paramilitary role in the crash. No organisation has claimed involvement, but in the past the IRA made numerous attempts to bring down helicopters in the area, where the military travel solely by air.
The incident has fuelled calls by local campaigners for an end to helicopter flights in south Armagh. Ms Toni Carragher from the South Armagh Farmers' and Residents' Committee said all helicopters should be grounded.
The Sinn FΘin Assembly member for the area, Mr Pat McNamee, said it was inevitable that there would be a crash given the increasing levels of army activity in the area.
"I'm thankful that it wasn't a helicopter travelling to Forkhill or Crossmaglen which are highly populated areas," he said.
A British army spokesman said that a four-man board of enquiry, staffed by RAF officers, had been convened, and had refused to speculate on the cause of the crash in advance of their report.