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08/12/2005
Ground fire caused Hercules crash in Iraq
The report into the crash of an RAF Hercules in Iraq on January 30 has concluded that the aircraft was ground-to-air fire.
Defence Secretary John Reid announced that the crash, which caused the death of 10 servicemen, was a result of hostile ground-to-air fire.
Mr Reid, said that the incident shortly after the aircraft took off from Baghdad had caused an explosion in the fuel tank of the right wing that caused the loss of the outboard section of the wing making the aircraft uncontrollable.
The report found that although the aircraft was flying on a routine mission at low level in a hostile operational environment in Iraq, the crew did all they could in planning the mission to minimise the risks.
Mr Reid paid tribute to the service personnel who lost their lives in the tragedy.
He said: "The Board has made a number of recommendations which we will study closely. We have acted on some already.
"While we have to accept that any deployment of UK troops involves a degree of risk, the security of British Service men and women deployed to Iraq and elsewhere is our highest priority."
The board recommended a review of tactical daytime flights, the fitting of a fuel tank fire "inerting system" as a matter of urgency, and improvements in the process of collection and dissemination of ground to air threat intelligence.
The nature of the weapon used in the attack has not been disclosed for security reasons.
(SP/GB)
Defence Secretary John Reid announced that the crash, which caused the death of 10 servicemen, was a result of hostile ground-to-air fire.
Mr Reid, said that the incident shortly after the aircraft took off from Baghdad had caused an explosion in the fuel tank of the right wing that caused the loss of the outboard section of the wing making the aircraft uncontrollable.
The report found that although the aircraft was flying on a routine mission at low level in a hostile operational environment in Iraq, the crew did all they could in planning the mission to minimise the risks.
Mr Reid paid tribute to the service personnel who lost their lives in the tragedy.
He said: "The Board has made a number of recommendations which we will study closely. We have acted on some already.
"While we have to accept that any deployment of UK troops involves a degree of risk, the security of British Service men and women deployed to Iraq and elsewhere is our highest priority."
The board recommended a review of tactical daytime flights, the fitting of a fuel tank fire "inerting system" as a matter of urgency, and improvements in the process of collection and dissemination of ground to air threat intelligence.
The nature of the weapon used in the attack has not been disclosed for security reasons.
(SP/GB)
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