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| Coroner attacks minefield rescue | Coroner attacks minefield rescue |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Those in charge when a UK soldier was killed in a mine blast in Afghanistan should "hang their heads in shame" at the errors made, a coroner has said. | Those in charge when a UK soldier was killed in a mine blast in Afghanistan should "hang their heads in shame" at the errors made, a coroner has said. |
| Cpl Mark Wright, 27, of Edinburgh, died as he helped an injured colleague. | Cpl Mark Wright, 27, of Edinburgh, died as he helped an injured colleague. |
| The inquest had heard troops tried to wave away a rescue Chinook which they predicted would set off another mine. | The inquest had heard troops tried to wave away a rescue Chinook which they predicted would set off another mine. |
| Recording a verdict of accidental death Coroner Andrew Walker said it was "lamentable" the UK was not equipped to stage an effective rescue. | Recording a verdict of accidental death Coroner Andrew Walker said it was "lamentable" the UK was not equipped to stage an effective rescue. |
| The verdict would make "very difficult reading" for the Ministry of Defence, said BBC correspondent Alex Bushill. | |
| In a statement from Cpl Wright's family, their solicitor said the coroner had made it clear there had been "really serious systemic failures" in providing the correct training, intelligence and resources for troops to do their jobs. | |
| The coroner said that the blast which killed Cpl Wright was caused by the "downwash" from the British Chinook sent to rescue a platoon of Paras who had been stranded in an unmarked minefield. | |
| He said Cpl Wright's death could have been avoided but for a lack of equipment and said those responsible "should hang their heads in shame". |