§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library the documentation held by his Department on the crash of the Aer Lingus Viscount in the Irish sea on 24 March 1968, and the subsequent search and rescue operation; and if he will make this material available to the Irish Government. [67434]
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§ Mr. Doug HendersonCopies of the UK report on the initial surface search and rescue operation for the Aer Lingus Viscount 712, and on the subsequent sea bed search and salvage operation undertaken at the request of the Irish Government, were placed in the Library of the House and given to the Irish Government in September 1998.
§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the naval vessels engaged in search operations for the wreckage of the Aer Lingus Viscount in the Irish sea from 24 March 1968 until the search was abandoned and in each case the dates on which searches took place; how many bodies were(a) recovered and (b) identified; where the wreckage was taken to be examined; and where the wreckage is currently stored. [67437]
§ Mr. Doug HendersonDetails of British naval involvement in the search operation for the Aer Lingus wreckage are contained in the report which my department placed in the Library of the House in September last year. Although the report contains information on the recovery of bodies and wreckage, which were taken to Rosslare for examination by the Irish Authorities, it does not provide the identities of the dead. This, and the current condition and location of the wreckage, is a matter for the Irish Government.