According to reports this morning members of the Air Accident Investigation Unit say they believe that Coast Guard Helicopter Rescue 116 crashed into Blackrock, off the Mayo coast.
The news was revealed late last when a spokesperson for the unit confirmed that the helicopter was last located at the island.
The AAIU also say the recovered wreckage showed consistent damage which would suggest the rescue helicopter crashed into the rocky surfaces on the western end of the island.
Meanwhile the search for the three remaining crew members will resume later this morning, a full week after they went missing.