The bodies of five members of the same family who died when their helicopter crashed in Snowdonia have been recovered, police have said.
The victims, all from the Milton Keynes area in Buckinghamshire, were named by North Wales police as Kevin and Ruth Burke, aged 56 and 49, Donald and Sharon Burke, aged 55 and 48, and Barry Burke, 51. It is believed they were three brothers and two of their wives, with their mother Noeleen reported to have lost all of her sons in the crash.
“We were all a very close family. We’re absolutely devastated. They were coming to Dublin for a family confirmation,” the Irish Herald quoted an unnamed relative as saying.
“We were all looking forward to seeing them. We’re all devastated. They were lovely people and they were very family orientated. We were all very close. Kevin was generous and loving. They were all generous and loving people.”
The relative said Kevin Burke was an experienced pilot who did not take risks in the cockpit.
Earlier, a spokesman for the family told the Milton Keynes Citizen: “Six children have lost their parents in this tragedy. At this stage, the family wants to be left alone to be able to deal with their grief over this terrible loss and concentrate on looking after the children.”
The bodies were found with the wreckage of the helicopter in the Rhinog mountains near Trawsfynydd on Thursday following a major search that began on Wednesday when the privately owned red Twin Squirrel aircraft failed to arrive in Dublin.
“Shortly before 3.30pm this afternoon, the last of the five who were onboard the helicopter were recovered and they have now been transported to a local hospital’s mortuary,” said Ch Insp Richie Green of North Wales police.
“Thames Valley police family liaison officers have informed family members and we can now begin the very difficult process of formal identification.
“We’ll continue to support the family and I’d simply ask both media and public alike to respect their privacy at this time. Our thoughts remain with the extended family and their friends.”
He thanked the 80-plus police officers and rescue workers involved “not just for their dedication and skill in very trying conditions but also the dignified and compassionate manner in which the whole operation was conducted”.
Kevin and Ruth Burke, from Hulcote near Milton Keynes – close to where the helicopter took off – were directors of Staske Construction, which owned a Twin Squirrel aircraft.
The family is reported to have strong links with Ireland, and Ruth Burke is believed to be from Dublin. The three brothers were the sons of an Irish couple who emigrated to Britain, according to the Irish Independent.
Dewi Pritchard Jones, the senior coroner for north-west Wales, said an investigation to determine the causes and circumstances of death had been opened.
With the bodies having been recovered, a joint investigation led by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) “will begin in earnest”, Green said. The police said they and the AAIB were hoping to begin recovery of the helicopter over the weekend, weather permitting.
Until then, the temporary exclusion zone over the crash site with a height of 5,500ft (1.68km) above sea level, reduced to a two mile radius, will remain.
Police released a new photograph of the site prior to the crash and are appealing for anyone who saw the aircraft flying over Snowdonia between 12pm and 1pm on Wednesday to contact officers by calling 101.
