Two men in their 40s have died following a helicopter crash in Co Westmeath.
Gardaí and emergency services responded to the incident at a rural farm near Killucan at around 3.30pm.
One of the men was an Irish national, while the second is understood to be from eastern Europe.
Both bodies have been removed from the scene to Regional Hospital Mullingar, where post-mortem examinations will take place. The local coroner has been notified.
Gardaí said they may require the assistance of Interpol in establishing contact with the next of kin of the man from eastern Europe.
The Air Accident Investigation Unit is leading the investigation into what happened.
The scene will remain preserved overnight to allow it investigate, and gardaí will assist the unit with any technical or forensic services necessary.
Local residents said that the crash occurred at a local piggery between Killucan and Raharney off the R156, with the aircraft seen "plummeting suddenly''.
Secretary of Raharney Hurling Club Daryl Kennedy said due to the situation, all training sessions which were to be held at the grounds this evening were cancelled, and he descried the mood as "sombre".
He also recalled that a number of years ago, there was a similar incident close by.
"In 2006, a flight came down in a field about two miles away from here. It's the second time for an incident like this to happen in almost 20 years which is very unusual," he said.
Parish Priest in the parish of Killucan and Raharney Fr Stan Deegan described the news as "shocking and unsettling".
"It is hard for families hearing the news this evening, dealing with their trauma and loss. I have seen it before - people receiving this life changing news.
He said will include the men who died and their families in his prayers.
We need your consent to load this rte-player contentWe use rte-player to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content.Manage Preferences
Mayor of Mullingar-Kinnegad Municipal District Ken Glynn described the incident as "shocking and tragic".
"I'm surprised and shocked, it's not something you would expect to hear in your own locality."
He said his thoughts and prayers are with the families of those involved in the incident and the first responders.
"It is a difficult scene for emergency services to be attending," Cllr Glynn said.
Additional reporting Éilís Sheehy
