Northern Ireland

Armagh woman killed in New York seaplane crash was 'really kind'

Armagh woman Maggie O'Neill (62) was killed in a seaplane crash in New York on Sunday
Armagh woman Maggie O'Neill (62) was killed in a seaplane crash in New York on Sunday Armagh woman Maggie O'Neill (62) was killed in a seaplane crash in New York on Sunday

THE family of a Northern Ireland woman who was killed in a seaplane crash in New York have told how she will be remembered as someone who was "really generous and caring".

Margaret O'Neill, who was known as Maggie, died on Sunday, when the Cessna 182 Skylane seaplane she was a passenger on ploughed into a pier in the Queens district of the city.

The 62-year-old nurse, who was originally from Armagh city, died while her partner of 20 years, Jose Urena, who is 66 and a skyscraper crane mechanic, was injured.

Also injured was the 61-year-old pilot, Joe Oppedisano, who owns a restaurant in Queens.

Both men are being treated in hospital.

The trio had been returning from having lunch in Maine when the small aircraft crashed near Throgs Neck Bridge.

A fourth person, who was jet skiing in the area and helped the injured passengers at the scene, reportedly suffered minor injuries.

The cause of the crash is under investigation.

Ms O'Neill's family were informed of the plane crash at around 10.30pm on Sunday.

A follow-up phone call minutes later informed them that the much loved 62-year-old, who lived in the Astoria neighbourhood of Queens, had died.

Ms O'Neill left Northern Ireland when she was 19 to move to New York with her husband.

She trained as a nurse and had two sons, Brendan and Christopher, however she was later widowed.

Working as a nurse up until her death, she kept in regular contact with her family back home including her siblings, nieces and nephews.

She was last home in Northern Ireland last year with her partner for a tour of Ireland.

Speaking to The Irish News, a family spokeswoman described what had happened as tragic.

She said Ms O'Neill would be remembered as someone who was "really really kind, really bubbly".

"She was just really generous and caring," she said.

"We would have talked all the time on the family Whatsapp group. She was always sending us presents for our children and things like that.

"She came home last year and did a trip around Ireland. She came home to see everybody. She made America her home but she always kept her connections here and she had lots of friends here".

The family member said Ms O'Neill and her partner, who was an experienced pilot, would fly regularly.

She said Mr Urena also "owns a couple of planes and they were always flying. They were very experienced and that was a normal thing to do".

"It was just a big shock," she said.

"The fact that we can't get out. We tried to arrange to get out but can't because of Covid. We will hopefully plan to get over and do our own thing."

The spokeswoman said the family in Northern Ireland hoped to organise a Mass for Maggie, adding that she lived for her two sons.

"She just loved them and there was nothing like them. They are cut up," she said.

"It is just so tragic that we can't say our goodbyes like in normal circumstances."