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| Dead cadet's parents seek charges | |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| The parents of a teenage Army cadet killed in a boating accident have called for criminal charges to be brought as a result of her death. | |
| Kaylee McIntosh, 14, drowned after being pinned under a capsized boat while wearing the wrong kind of lifejacket, an investigation has found. | Kaylee McIntosh, 14, drowned after being pinned under a capsized boat while wearing the wrong kind of lifejacket, an investigation has found. |
| Kaylee, of Fyvie, Aberdeenshire, died on Loch Carnan on South Uist. | Kaylee, of Fyvie, Aberdeenshire, died on Loch Carnan on South Uist. |
| Derek and Lesley McIntosh said the "harrowing" report detailed a series of serious mistakes surrounding her death. | |
| They said in a statement: "The report makes harrowing reading for us because it details an unbelievable catalogue of terrible mistakes and misjudgements that cost Kaylee her life. | |
| It is tragic that the only way she will now serve the Army is if lessons are learned from her death so that this never happens again Derek and Lesley McIntoshKaylee's parents | |
| "Nothing can bring our precious daughter back, and nothing can ease our pain at her loss. | |
| "But justice demands that some of those who behaved so irresponsibly and who failed so completely in their duty of care to Kaylee must face criminal charges in connection with her death." | |
| 'Badly wrong' | |
| They explained: "Kaylee should never even have been on an assault boat. We gave permission for canoeing and kayaking, not high-speed assault craft. | |
| "The hardest part for us is that she was trapped in an air pocket under the boat with an adult's lifejacket that was so buoyant she could never get out on her own. | |
| "And because the headcount went so badly wrong nobody realised she was missing so nobody tried to save her. When she was finally missed an hour-and-a-half later it was too late. | |
| "It is tragic that the only way she will now serve the Army is if lessons are learned from her death so that this never happens again." | |
| Although it is not certain when Cadet M drowned, the delay in recognising the fact that she was missing undoubtedly reduced her chances of survival Marine Accident Investigation Branch report | Although it is not certain when Cadet M drowned, the delay in recognising the fact that she was missing undoubtedly reduced her chances of survival Marine Accident Investigation Branch report |
| Read the report Most computers will open PDF documents automatically, but you may need to download Adobe Acrobat Reader. Download the reader here | Read the report Most computers will open PDF documents automatically, but you may need to download Adobe Acrobat Reader. Download the reader here |
| They also welcomed the fact there is to be a fatal accident inquiry in May. | They also welcomed the fact there is to be a fatal accident inquiry in May. |
| Kaylee died in the Outer Hebrides last summer. | Kaylee died in the Outer Hebrides last summer. |
| A Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) report said her lifejacket was not approved for use by children. | A Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) report said her lifejacket was not approved for use by children. |
| It said the jacket's extra buoyancy would have pinned her under the boat. | It said the jacket's extra buoyancy would have pinned her under the boat. |
| An error in a headcount taken after the incident meant the teenager was trapped under the boat for an hour-and-a-half before it was noticed she was missing. | |
| Her body was recovered by fish farm workers from under the vessel off Steisay Island two hours later. | Her body was recovered by fish farm workers from under the vessel off Steisay Island two hours later. |
| The report said the lifejacket Kaylee was given was more than three times the buoyancy of those usually used by cadets in training activities. | The report said the lifejacket Kaylee was given was more than three times the buoyancy of those usually used by cadets in training activities. |
| 'Instinctive reaction' | 'Instinctive reaction' |
| It stated: "Following capsize, of the four persons who surfaced under the upturned hull, only Cadet M was unable to swim clear. | It stated: "Following capsize, of the four persons who surfaced under the upturned hull, only Cadet M was unable to swim clear. |
| "When recovered, her lifejacket was inflated and, as this had to be achieved manually, it is evident that she took this action at some point during her ordeal. | "When recovered, her lifejacket was inflated and, as this had to be achieved manually, it is evident that she took this action at some point during her ordeal. |
| "In the absence of any instructions regarding what to do in the event of capsize, this was probably an instinctive reaction to help keep her afloat. | "In the absence of any instructions regarding what to do in the event of capsize, this was probably an instinctive reaction to help keep her afloat. |
| "However, the lifejacket was not approved for use by children, and its buoyancy was over three times that of the approved lifejackets supplied for cadet force adventurous training activities. | "However, the lifejacket was not approved for use by children, and its buoyancy was over three times that of the approved lifejackets supplied for cadet force adventurous training activities. |
| "Consequently, once inflated, it would have pinned Cadet M under the craft and prevented her escape." | "Consequently, once inflated, it would have pinned Cadet M under the craft and prevented her escape." |
| Kaylee was one of 34 cadets taking part in the three-boat exercise on 3 August. | Kaylee was one of 34 cadets taking part in the three-boat exercise on 3 August. |
| A rescue operation was launched after a vessel carrying the schoolgirl and 12 others capsized in choppy seas. | A rescue operation was launched after a vessel carrying the schoolgirl and 12 others capsized in choppy seas. |
| A machine gun had been strapped to the boat, against regulations | |
| The vessel, known as a Rigid Raiding Craft 2, had taken on water which became trapped on deck because the boat's "trouser leg" drains had not been lowered. | The vessel, known as a Rigid Raiding Craft 2, had taken on water which became trapped on deck because the boat's "trouser leg" drains had not been lowered. |
| An instruction for the seated cadets to move from one side of the boat to the other triggered it to go under. | An instruction for the seated cadets to move from one side of the boat to the other triggered it to go under. |
| A headcount was carried out, but it is thought that a young female instructor may have been identified as a cadet or counted twice. | A headcount was carried out, but it is thought that a young female instructor may have been identified as a cadet or counted twice. |
| As the cadets came from different detachments across the county and were seated in the boats on a first-come-first-served basis, nobody noticed Kaylee was missing. | As the cadets came from different detachments across the county and were seated in the boats on a first-come-first-served basis, nobody noticed Kaylee was missing. |
| The report stated: "Although it is not certain when Cadet M drowned, the delay in recognising the fact that she was missing undoubtedly reduced her chances of survival." | The report stated: "Although it is not certain when Cadet M drowned, the delay in recognising the fact that she was missing undoubtedly reduced her chances of survival." |
| The investigation identified several other failures during the exercise. | The investigation identified several other failures during the exercise. |
| It said the boat was "ill-prepared and ill-equipped" to navigate safely between Loch Carnan and Loch Skipport. | It said the boat was "ill-prepared and ill-equipped" to navigate safely between Loch Carnan and Loch Skipport. |
| The report also said the route had not been properly planned and the coxswains had not been well briefed. | The report also said the route had not been properly planned and the coxswains had not been well briefed. |
| It also pointed out that while the cadets were carrying regulation training rifles, the cadet executive officer (CEO) - a former paratrooper - had fitted a general purpose machine gun with blank ammunition to the boat. | It also pointed out that while the cadets were carrying regulation training rifles, the cadet executive officer (CEO) - a former paratrooper - had fitted a general purpose machine gun with blank ammunition to the boat. |
| 'Tragic accident' | |
| Such a weapon is not authorised for the Army Cadet Force (ACF) to use. | Such a weapon is not authorised for the Army Cadet Force (ACF) to use. |
| Following the accident, all boat "gifting" from the Ministry of Defence to the ACF has been suspended. | Following the accident, all boat "gifting" from the Ministry of Defence to the ACF has been suspended. |
| The 2nd Battalion the Highlanders ACF, of which Kaylee was a member, has also temporarily suspended all powerboat activities. | The 2nd Battalion the Highlanders ACF, of which Kaylee was a member, has also temporarily suspended all powerboat activities. |
| An MoD statement said: "The Army and Army Cadet Forces have taken actions in the light of this tragic accident. | An MoD statement said: "The Army and Army Cadet Forces have taken actions in the light of this tragic accident. |
| "We are still awaiting directions from Stornoway procurator fiscal and it would be unwise to speculate or comment further until that decision is made. | "We are still awaiting directions from Stornoway procurator fiscal and it would be unwise to speculate or comment further until that decision is made. |
| "The Army has co-operated fully with investigations by Northern Constabulary and the MAIB and remains available to assist in any way possible. | "The Army has co-operated fully with investigations by Northern Constabulary and the MAIB and remains available to assist in any way possible. |
| "The Army will reopen its own Board of Inquiry into the incident once all the investigations have been completed by the procurator fiscal, the Northern Constabulary and the MAIB." | "The Army will reopen its own Board of Inquiry into the incident once all the investigations have been completed by the procurator fiscal, the Northern Constabulary and the MAIB." |