A British father-of-three who was fortunate to escape with his life in an aircraft crash at Cork Airport last year has completed a four-day charity cycle from Belfast to Cork for Children’s Leukaemia Association (Ireland) and Sports Relief in the UK.
Mark Dickens, a regional manager for the TK Maxx retail chain, was one of 12 people on board a Manx 2 flight from Belfast to Cork that crashed at Cork Airport when it attempted to land in thick fog on February 10th, 2011. Six people survived the crash.
The deceased included Spanish pilot Capt Jordi Sola Lopez (31), his British co-pilot Andrew Cantle (27) and four passengers Richard Noble, Pat Cullinan, Brendan McAleese and Michael Evans.
Mr Dickens (42) suffered broken ribs, collar bone and shoulder blade, hand nerve damage and a punctured lung. However, he made a full recovery at Cork University Hospital and returned to work 90 days after the crash.
As a means of expressing his gratitude to the people of Cork city he organised a charity cycle from Belfast to Cork which he completed on Saturday shortly after 4pm. He was met at Dyke Parade in the city by his wife Tara, having been accompanied on the cycle by his brother-in-law Pete Mitchell.
He finished his charity cycle at the offices of the Children’s Leukaemia Association in Cork.
Mr Dickens, who is from Kent, said he was thrilled at the reception he received from the public on his way in to Cork city.