Anniversary Mass in Clane for US Marines soldier killed in helicopter

An Anniversary Mass is being held in Clane on Sunday for Sgt Liam Flynn who died aged 33 when his Black Hawk helicopter he was travelling in crashed off the Florida coast.

A total of 10 other military personnel also lost their lives.

Sgt Flynn emigrated to New York in 2002 and joined the US Marine Corps in 2006.

He served four tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan.

He is survived by his wife Destiny, daughter Leilani, parents Ann and Billy, and five sisters and two brothers.

The Anniversary Mass takes place in the Church of St Patrick and St Brigid at 9.30am on Sunday.

Investigation 

An investigation found the flight crew of the Louisiana Army National Guard Black Hawk UH-60 disobeyed a direct order by flying in thick fog and poor visibility in a high-risk night training exercise.

The crash killed all four flight crew and seven members of the US Marine Special Operations Command, the unit of which Sgt Flynn was a member.

The marines were involved in a training mission.

The investigation report concluded that both helicopter pilots suffered from “spatial disorientation” flying in total darkness and thick fog, leading to loss of control of the aircraft.

Following a failed attempt to engage the autopilot, the helicopter crashed in Santa Rosa Sound near Hurlburt Field, headquarters of the US Air Force’s special operations command, five minutes after taking off.