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| Version 12 | Version 13 |
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| 'Failures' caused Hercules deaths | 'Failures' caused Hercules deaths |
| (about 8 hours later) | |
| The deaths of 10 servicemen in a Hercules air crash in Iraq were the result of "serious systemic failures", a coroner has said. | The deaths of 10 servicemen in a Hercules air crash in Iraq were the result of "serious systemic failures", a coroner has said. |
| Wiltshire coroner David Masters said the failure to fit Hercules planes with explosion suppressant foam was a factor in the 2005 tragedy near Baghdad. | |
| A spokeswoman for the families said the men had been "let down" by the MoD. | A spokeswoman for the families said the men had been "let down" by the MoD. |
| Armed forces minister Bob Ainsworth accepted there were "problems" with the MoD's handling of the safety concerns. | |
| Nine RAF personnel and one soldier died when the RAF Hercules aircraft was shot down by enemy fire. | |
| Sarah Chapman, sister of one of the victims, Sgt Bob O'Connor, said defence chiefs had failed in their duty of care. See how the foam works | Sarah Chapman, sister of one of the victims, Sgt Bob O'Connor, said defence chiefs had failed in their duty of care. See how the foam works |
| She said the coroner had recognised the "importance of the issues" and she would be "watching" to make sure the MoD implemented his recommendations. | She said the coroner had recognised the "importance of the issues" and she would be "watching" to make sure the MoD implemented his recommendations. |
| The coroner read out a narrative verdict, which is a statement about how death occurred, used when a coroner believes the conclusions require detailed explanation. | The coroner read out a narrative verdict, which is a statement about how death occurred, used when a coroner believes the conclusions require detailed explanation. |
| Relative Sarah Chapman: 'Systemic failings in the MOD caused the deaths' | |
| He recorded verdicts of "unlawful killing by terrorist insurgents". | He recorded verdicts of "unlawful killing by terrorist insurgents". |
| Mr Masters said: "The failure to fit ESF [explosion suppressant foam] was on the facts found a serious systemic failure and a contributory factor in the loss of the aircraft. | Mr Masters said: "The failure to fit ESF [explosion suppressant foam] was on the facts found a serious systemic failure and a contributory factor in the loss of the aircraft. |
| "There was a loss of opportunity for the survival of the crew by that failure." | "There was a loss of opportunity for the survival of the crew by that failure." |
| Among Mr Masters' recommendations was for all RAF combat aircraft to be fitted with fuel tank inerting systems - which do the same job as ESF. | Among Mr Masters' recommendations was for all RAF combat aircraft to be fitted with fuel tank inerting systems - which do the same job as ESF. |
| He said, in particular, the Hercules' successor, the Airbus A400M, must all be fitted. | He said, in particular, the Hercules' successor, the Airbus A400M, must all be fitted. |
| Armed forces minister Bob Ainsworth rejected the coroner's verdict of "systemic failure" and said the MoD did a "tremendously challenging job". | |
| He told BBC Radio 4's PM programme the fitting of explosion suppressant foam (ESF) had not been given top priority in the period before the crash. | |
| That decision was not amended as the nature of the threat facing aircraft in Iraq changed, said Mr Ainsworth, adding: "To that extent, we failed these people. There is no doubt about that whatsoever." | |
| He said the MoD had learned "a lot of lessons" as a result of what happened and all aircraft operating in dangerous environments were now fitted with ESF. | |
| US military | US military |
| Mr Masters also said the crew had been "failed" by a system which meant intelligence of insurgent activity did not reach them. | Mr Masters also said the crew had been "failed" by a system which meant intelligence of insurgent activity did not reach them. |
| John Hutton says lessons have been learned from the tragedy | |
| Two US helicopters had been shot at in the same area by Iraqi insurgents just hours before. | Two US helicopters had been shot at in the same area by Iraqi insurgents just hours before. |
| The inquest heard that an e-mailed incident report was left unopened by an unnamed British intelligence officer. | The inquest heard that an e-mailed incident report was left unopened by an unnamed British intelligence officer. |
| He said he did not open it because he had no idea the aircraft, which was on a special forces mission, was even in that area at the time. | He said he did not open it because he had no idea the aircraft, which was on a special forces mission, was even in that area at the time. |
| This should "never be allowed to happen again", the coroner said, recommending a review of coalition intelligence procedures. | This should "never be allowed to happen again", the coroner said, recommending a review of coalition intelligence procedures. |
| Summing up at Trowbridge town hall, Mr Masters said the two-month hearing had been "plagued" by lax RAF record-keeping and criticised its policy of shredding documents. | Summing up at Trowbridge town hall, Mr Masters said the two-month hearing had been "plagued" by lax RAF record-keeping and criticised its policy of shredding documents. |
| He also levelled criticism at the US military for not authorising interviews with American eyewitnesses. | He also levelled criticism at the US military for not authorising interviews with American eyewitnesses. |
| Aside from an Iraqi, US servicemen were the only eyewitnesses to the incident on 30 January 2005, but they were not available for interview. | Aside from an Iraqi, US servicemen were the only eyewitnesses to the incident on 30 January 2005, but they were not available for interview. |
| "The stance taken by the US is difficult to comprehend," said the coroner. | "The stance taken by the US is difficult to comprehend," said the coroner. |
| "I just wonder, what if the boot had been on the other foot - if a US aircraft had come down with the loss of 10 lives and the only eye witnesses had been British forces?" | "I just wonder, what if the boot had been on the other foot - if a US aircraft had come down with the loss of 10 lives and the only eye witnesses had been British forces?" |
| Vulnerability reports | Vulnerability reports |
| The Hercules C-130K, flight XV179, from RAF Lyneham's 47 Squadron, was shot down by enemy fire from a medium-calibre anti-aircraft weapon. | The Hercules C-130K, flight XV179, from RAF Lyneham's 47 Squadron, was shot down by enemy fire from a medium-calibre anti-aircraft weapon. |
| It hit a fuel tank in the right wing, causing the ullage - the highly flammable fuel-vapour-and-air mix created as fuel is used - to explode and blow off half the wing. | It hit a fuel tank in the right wing, causing the ullage - the highly flammable fuel-vapour-and-air mix created as fuel is used - to explode and blow off half the wing. |
| The plane was flying at low level, through a known ambush zone | The plane was flying at low level, through a known ambush zone |
| It crashed into the desert, 25 miles (40km) north-west of Baghdad. | It crashed into the desert, 25 miles (40km) north-west of Baghdad. |
| Witnesses told the inquest the crew were flying low (about 150ft; 46m) to avoid the threat of surface-to-air missiles. | Witnesses told the inquest the crew were flying low (about 150ft; 46m) to avoid the threat of surface-to-air missiles. |
| Recalling evidence that had been heard, the coroner said three reports in the 1990s all said wing-located fuel tanks carried ullage explosion risks. | Recalling evidence that had been heard, the coroner said three reports in the 1990s all said wing-located fuel tanks carried ullage explosion risks. |
| In 2002, a research report, sent to senior RAF figures, said that Hercules' wing tanks were the most vulnerable part of the planes, liable to explode if hit by small arms fire. | In 2002, a research report, sent to senior RAF figures, said that Hercules' wing tanks were the most vulnerable part of the planes, liable to explode if hit by small arms fire. |
| The report said "a potential solution to reduce risk is to retro-fit all C-130 aircraft with dynamic foam for the wing fuel tanks". | The report said "a potential solution to reduce risk is to retro-fit all C-130 aircraft with dynamic foam for the wing fuel tanks". |
| The coroner said: "Effectively, in my judgment, this means: 'Get on and do it'. | The coroner said: "Effectively, in my judgment, this means: 'Get on and do it'. |
| "Despite all the recommendations, a decision - unrecorded - was taken not to proceed. | |
| "All the other recommendations in that report were approved, but this was not, and I consider that to be significant." | "All the other recommendations in that report were approved, but this was not, and I consider that to be significant." |
| A second report, in 2003, said the recommendation still applied. Yet it was not acted upon until after the tragedy in 2005. | A second report, in 2003, said the recommendation still applied. Yet it was not acted upon until after the tragedy in 2005. |
| American Hercules have had ESF since the 1960s. | American Hercules have had ESF since the 1960s. |
| The 2005 crash was the largest loss of life to the RAF in a hostile act since World War II. | The 2005 crash was the largest loss of life to the RAF in a hostile act since World War II. |
| The crew, who were mainly based at RAF Lyneham in Wiltshire, were: RAF 47 Squadron's Flt Lt David Stead; 35; Flt Lt Andrew Smith, 25; master engineer Gary Nicholson, 42; Flt Sgt Mark Gibson, 34; Flt Lt Paul Pardoel, 35; chief technician Richard Brown, 40; Sgt Robert O'Connor, 38, Acting L/Cpl Steven Jones, 25. | The crew, who were mainly based at RAF Lyneham in Wiltshire, were: RAF 47 Squadron's Flt Lt David Stead; 35; Flt Lt Andrew Smith, 25; master engineer Gary Nicholson, 42; Flt Sgt Mark Gibson, 34; Flt Lt Paul Pardoel, 35; chief technician Richard Brown, 40; Sgt Robert O'Connor, 38, Acting L/Cpl Steven Jones, 25. |
| The passengers were: Sqn Ldr Patrick Marshall, 39, from Strike Command Headquarters and Cpl David Williams, 37. | The passengers were: Sqn Ldr Patrick Marshall, 39, from Strike Command Headquarters and Cpl David Williams, 37. |
| EXPLOSIVE SUPPRESSANT FOAM SYSTEM 1. Without foam: Explosive mix of fuel vapour and air above liquid fuel ignites easily. Once this ignites, a compression wave pressurises the remaining gas, increasing the explosion. | EXPLOSIVE SUPPRESSANT FOAM SYSTEM 1. Without foam: Explosive mix of fuel vapour and air above liquid fuel ignites easily. Once this ignites, a compression wave pressurises the remaining gas, increasing the explosion. |
| 2. With foam: Foam expands to fill space in tank as fuel level drops. Vapour ignition is confined to the area close to spark, stopping explosion. | 2. With foam: Foam expands to fill space in tank as fuel level drops. Vapour ignition is confined to the area close to spark, stopping explosion. |
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