Helicopter tragedy claims third victim.

Bertie Fisher, the four times Irish Rally Champion, has died as a result of injuries he sustained in the helicopter crash which has already claimed the lives of two of his children.

The crash occurred in woodland just a few miles from the family's Enniskillen home on Sunday (Jan 21) afternoon. Mr Fisher's son Mark, and 25-year-old daughter Emma were both pronounced dead at the scene, while his wife remains in a critical condition, and may undergo surgery tomorrow.

Mr Fisher's other son Roy, who was also on board the helicopter as it returned from Mrs Fisher's fiftieth birthday celebration, is reported to be stable.

Bertie Fisher, widely regarded as a skilled pilot, sustained serious head injuries in the crash and the decision to turn off his life support machine was taken yesterday evening.

"Following brain stem tests undertaken by medical teams, it was determined that Mr Fisher was clinically dead and the decision was taken in consultation with the immediate family to switch off the life support machine," a spokeswoman for the Erne hospital in County Fermanagh told the Reuters news agency.

27 year-old Mark Fisher (pictured) was a rising rally driver who had won the 1999 Peugeot Super 106 Cup before making several guest appearances on the world scene in a 206 WRC last year, he is believed to have signed to drive for the UK branch of the French marque this year.