Divers hoping to examine wreckage of Irish Coast Guard helicopter

A remotely operated vehicle found the aircraft close to Blackrock Island on Tuesday. Credit: Credit:PA

Dive teams are hoping a weather window will open on Friday to allow them to examine the wreckage of an Irish Coast Guard helicopter which crashed into the Atlantic over a week ago.

A remotely-operated vehicle sent to film a specific area of seabed confirmed the aircraft is lying about 60m off Blackrock island, off the coast of Co Mayo.

The Sikorsky S-92 is believed to have hit the island before crashing into the sea in the early hours of Tuesday March 14.

Captain Dara Fitzpatrick, a 45-year-old mother of one, was recovered from the water, but later died.

The other crew members, Captain Mark Duffy, Winchman Ciaran Smith and Winch Operator Paul Ormsby, remain missing.

Search teams are hoping winds maintain from a northerly direction with swells around the island easing, to allow navy and garda divers to get into the ocean.

It has not been confirmed if the remotely-operated vehicle has found the missing crew with the helicopter wreckage.

The underwater terrain, part of the lighthouse rock and dangerous underwater currents in the area are adding to difficulties around the search area.