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| Iraq death crash 'was accident' | Iraq death crash 'was accident' |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| A crash between two helicopters at the start of the Iraq war was an accident, a coroner has ruled. | A crash between two helicopters at the start of the Iraq war was an accident, a coroner has ruled. |
| Seven men died in 2003 when the two Cornwall-based Royal Navy Sea King helicopters collided. | Seven men died in 2003 when the two Cornwall-based Royal Navy Sea King helicopters collided. |
| One was returning to HMS Ark Royal in the Arabian Sea and another was leaving the ship when the accident happened. | One was returning to HMS Ark Royal in the Arabian Sea and another was leaving the ship when the accident happened. |
| Oxfordshire assistant deputy coroner Sir Richard Curtis recorded a verdict of accidental death at the inquest which opened on 3 January. | Oxfordshire assistant deputy coroner Sir Richard Curtis recorded a verdict of accidental death at the inquest which opened on 3 January. |
| The men who died were all from 849 Squadron based at RNAS Culdrose near Helston, Cornwall. | The men who died were all from 849 Squadron based at RNAS Culdrose near Helston, Cornwall. |
| They were: Lt Philip Green, 30, from Caythorpe, Lincolnshire; Lt Anthony King, 35, from Helston, Cornwall; Lt Marc Lawrence, 26, from Westgate-on-Sea, Kent; Lt Philip West, 32, from Budock Water, Cornwall; Lt James Williams, 28, from Falmouth, Cornwall; and Lt Andrew Wilson, 36, from Exeter, Devon, and 27-year-old Lt Thomas Mullen Adams, of the US Navy, who was stationed at RNAS Culdrose. | They were: Lt Philip Green, 30, from Caythorpe, Lincolnshire; Lt Anthony King, 35, from Helston, Cornwall; Lt Marc Lawrence, 26, from Westgate-on-Sea, Kent; Lt Philip West, 32, from Budock Water, Cornwall; Lt James Williams, 28, from Falmouth, Cornwall; and Lt Andrew Wilson, 36, from Exeter, Devon, and 27-year-old Lt Thomas Mullen Adams, of the US Navy, who was stationed at RNAS Culdrose. |
| Lt Tony King from Exeter was among those who died | Lt Tony King from Exeter was among those who died |
| The accidental death verdict came as a blow to some of the families who have waited nearly four years for an inquest and yet for whom the cause of the deaths is still a mystery. | |
| Several gave emotional tributes to their relatives during the inquest. | Several gave emotional tributes to their relatives during the inquest. |
| Sir Richard apologised for the "terrible" and "quite unacceptable" delay in bringing the inquest. | Sir Richard apologised for the "terrible" and "quite unacceptable" delay in bringing the inquest. |
| He said: "I well realise the worry and anxiety you have all been through because of the delay and let's hope it never happens again. | He said: "I well realise the worry and anxiety you have all been through because of the delay and let's hope it never happens again. |
| "I express that hope in your names, because it is quite, quite unacceptable." | "I express that hope in your names, because it is quite, quite unacceptable." |
| The inquest into the accident on 22 March 2003 heard long and technical evidence from witnesses. | |
| The helicopters had been undertaking surveillance work for British forces in the al-Faw peninsula. | The helicopters had been undertaking surveillance work for British forces in the al-Faw peninsula. |
| The inquest earlier heard from an air traffic controller that the two helicopters had seen each other before a last-minute change of direction by one of the aircraft. | The inquest earlier heard from an air traffic controller that the two helicopters had seen each other before a last-minute change of direction by one of the aircraft. |
| Alan Massey, at the time a Captain and now a Rear Admiral, earlier told the Oxford inquest: "All I know is that the aircraft flew into each other. | Alan Massey, at the time a Captain and now a Rear Admiral, earlier told the Oxford inquest: "All I know is that the aircraft flew into each other. |
| "We can't for the life of us fathom what it was." | "We can't for the life of us fathom what it was." |
| The Ministry of Defence is expected to make a statement. | The Ministry of Defence is expected to make a statement. |