Man’s body left on plane and flown to Greece

An “urgent investigation” has been launched after a coffin containing a man’s body was inadvertently left on a plane at Dublin airport and flown to greece.

The Sunday Independent reported the incident involving an Irish citizen who died in greece. His body was returned to Ireland but his coffin was not removed from the plane, as intended.

The aircraft then returned to greece.

Swissport, the ground handling firm at Dublin Airport, said: “We are deeply sorry for the family’s experience at such a difficult time and did everything we could to ensure things were resolved quickly.”

The firm said an investigation was underway to “make sure lessons are learned”.

It was reported that the man’s remains were repatriated the following day by another airline but the funeral had to be rearranged.

His family were waiting with a hearse at the airport, but a “misload” resulted in the coffin not being spotted and removed as planned, and it went back on the plane to greece. After being informed of the mistake, the dead man’s family had no choice but to return home and re-arrange his funeral.

The company said in a statement: “We are deeply sorry for the family’s experience at such a difficult time and did everything we could to ensure things were resolved as quickly as possible.

“We are now conducting an urgent investigation to make sure lessons are learned.”

The man’s body was originally flown to Dublin on an Aegean Airlines flight from greece. Attempts were made to contact Aegean Airlines for comment, but without success.

It is understood that a different airline successfully repatriated the remains the following day.

A source said the family had been left “devastated” by what had happened.

Dublin Airport Authority was contacted, but declined to comment on the incident. Meanwhile, ryanair has called for a competing independent third terminal at Dublin Airport amid fresh criticism of the DAA.

Both the airline and the DAA (Dublin Airport Authority) have refused to rule out speculation that they are eyeing up 261 acres of land worth €200m put up for sale last week by a group who have long sought to build a rival independent terminal on the site.

One of those sellers, businessman ulick Mcevaddy has slammed the DAA’s 27-year blockade of his attempts to build an independent terminal on lands ad jacent to the airport campus. “The DAA have held us up for 27 years, they have refused to countenance an independent terminal, other than one run by them,.