Miracles Among The Wreckage: Six Survive Horror Cork Air Crash

A top medic who arrived at the scene of last week's plane crash in Cork was shocked to see passengers walking alive from the wreckage.

"What struck me about it was the fact that the aircraft was so damaged, and yet there were people coming out of it," said Dr Stephen Cusack, professor of emergency medicine at Cork University Hospital.

Six people survived the worst air crash on Irish soil for decades.

But six others, including two pilots, were killed when the Manx2 aircraft flipped over and caught fire on its third attempt to land at Cork airport in thick fog on Thursday morning.

The 19-year-old Fairchild Metroliner aircraft had flown from Belfast with two crew and ten passengers on board.

The plane itself had undergone a safety inspection in Spain just last week.

Two black box recorders have been recovered the wreckage of the plane, and along with radar data from the airport, they should provide clues as to what caused the tragedy.

Several investigations are underway including one by the Air Accident Investigation Unit of the Department of Transport.

A cousin of Irish President Mary McAleese's husband Martin was among the victims.

Brendan McAleese, from Co. Antrim owned a laundry business in Cookstown, Co. Tyrone.

"His family have lost a fine and loving husband, father, son and brother, and their awful grief is replicated in the lives of all those who lost their loved ones in the crash," the president said in a statement.

"No words can ease their pain but I hope they draw some small comfort from knowing that our thoughts and prayers, both here and in homes throughout the country, are with them at this darkest hour."

Pat Cullinane from Tyrone, a respected partner in KPMG consultancy in Belfast; Michael Evans, Belfast Deputy Harbour master; and Richard Noble, originally from Derbyshire but who had lived in Belfast for years, were also among the victims.

Both of the pilots of the plane were killed in the crash

Jordi Sola Lopez was on one of his first flights as captain.

The 31-year-old from Manresa, 40 miles outside Barcelona had vast experience as a co-pilot but had taken charge of an aircraft on only a few occasions previously.

Co-pilot Andrew Cantle, 27, from Sunderland in England had only joined the airline in the past few weeks.

His mother Anne said, "He lived for planes. Being a pilot was all he ever wanted to so since he was a little boy."

Six people survived the crash.

Brendan Mallon, a commercial trade manager with Falcon Holidays, was on his way to Cork for a conference.

Heather Elliott, from Cork but living in Belfast, was the only woman on board - her daughter Jennifer is married to Irish international cricketer Gary Wilson.

Business man Lawrence Wilson miraculously walked from the aircraft, as did Donal Walsh, 21, from Waterford, a volunteer for the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students in Ireland, had been returning from a series of Christian events in Belfast.

The two other survivors were Mark Dickens and Peter Cowley.

There was widespread praise for the emergency services in Cork for the speed and professionalism with which they responded to the tragedy.

Fire crews were able to extinguish the blaze within minutes, and the city's emergency plan meant passengers were treated at the airport before being transferred to hospital.

The funerals of some of the victims have been taking place this week.

An interim report on the cause of the accident is expected within a month.