THE VICTIMS OF yesterday’s light airplane crash at Cork airport included Spanish and UK nationals.

Both the pilot and co-pilot were killed in the crash along with four others who are believed to have been seated towards the front of the plane.

The tragedy is the worst civil aviation accident in Irish airport history and five separate investigations are now under way including probes by UK, Irish, Spanish and US authorities.

Jordi Gola Lopez

Spanish born Lopez, 31, was piloting the plane. He was a single man from Barcelona where he worked for the airline leasing company Flightline BCN. His family are due to arrive in Cork today and are being assisted by officials at the Spanish embassy.

Andrew Cantle

Cantle, 27, was co-piloting the plane. His parents paid tribute to their son saying “he lived for planes”, according to The Sun. Cantle, who lived in York with air stewardess girlfriend Beth Webster, was not meant to be on the fateful flight according to his parents having told them originally that he wasn’t flying yesterday.

Richard Noble

Noble was a passenger on board the plane who is believed to have been an English national, originally from Derbyshire.

Brendan McAleese

McAleese, 39, was a cousin of Dr Martin McAleese, President Mary McAleese’s husband and owned the Central Laundries business in Cookstown, Co Tyrone. He was originally from Ballymena and was married with a young family. President McAleese said of her relative: “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 today’s crash.”

Pat Cullinan

Cullinan was originally from Omagh, Co Tyrone. He was a senior partner in the leading accountancy firm KPMG in Belfast and has been described as an “exceptional friend and colleague”, by his fellow workers. He was married with five children and had previously worked in KPMG’s offices in London and Dublin before return to work in Belfast six years ago, according to the Irish Examiner.

Captain Michael Evans

Evans, Deputy Harbour Master in Belfast, was married with adult children. He was originally from England before moving to the North in the mid-90s.  He had previously worked in Hong Kong for the China Navigation Company and had been traveling to Cork for a work related issue. He was considered a leading expert in his field, reports the Irish Times.