Watch: Air Corps confirms military exercise in Cork last night

Updated at 11.18am: A ROUTINE military exercise by the Irish Air Corps was carried out in the skies over Cork city last night.

According to a press spokesman for the Defence Forces, the exercise involved "the use of a number of Defence Forces assets including several aircraft".

The operation attracted much online speculation last night after the helicopters were sighted in the area.

Air Corps aircraft at Cork airport last night. Pic: Cork Airport Police/Fire&Rescue

Earlier:

THREE helicopters flying over Cork city last night had Corkonians wondering what they were doing in the area.

The helicopters were seen leaving Cork airport in formation and resulted in people flocking to social media to try to find out why they were in the area.

Did you see there were 3 helicopters above Cork today. They were monitoring who had got the vaccine. The signals were grand and clear.
I'm thrilled anyway, after years of not being able to get Irish channels unless I had Sky, I have them all now! My neighbour got her vax!

— CB Uí Fhoghlú (@CBFoley) April 13, 2021

They were also seen in the Kinsale area, as well as east of the city.

Are the planes and helicopters flying over cork the start of a coup where we declare the real republic of cork and get all the pharma companies to give us all the vaccines for an even lower tax rate?

— Tom Williams (@tumblesws) April 13, 2021

It is understood the activity was a training exercise by the Irish Air Corps.

Ahaaa you’ll never find meeeeee #cork #helicopters pic.twitter.com/F5grT3hS5Z

— Sarah (@sarahjaners) April 13, 2021

There’s currently a plane and 3 helicopters flying low in the sky with no lights on in the pitch dark. Eh..... why? 👀 #cork

— Cian Twomey (@MrCianTwomey) April 13, 2021