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| Afghan force 'has right support' | Afghan force 'has right support' |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Defence Secretary Des Browne has denied that UK troops in Afghanistan are under-resourced after a plane crashed near Kandahar, killing 14. | Defence Secretary Des Browne has denied that UK troops in Afghanistan are under-resourced after a plane crashed near Kandahar, killing 14. |
| The government had not underestimated the dangers involved, he told the BBC. | The government had not underestimated the dangers involved, he told the BBC. |
| The RAF Nimrod MR2 crashed on Saturday, killing 12 air personnel from 120 Squadron based at RAF Kinloss in Scotland, a Royal Marine and a soldier. | |
| An inquiry has begun to find out why the reconnaissance aircraft came down. A technical fault has been blamed. | An inquiry has begun to find out why the reconnaissance aircraft came down. A technical fault has been blamed. |
| Mr Browne told BBC One's Sunday AM programme there was no correlation between the incident and claims there is a lack of resources for British troops. | Mr Browne told BBC One's Sunday AM programme there was no correlation between the incident and claims there is a lack of resources for British troops. |
| "Those who have been following developments in Afghanistan will know that we deployed a significant force in the first place to do a very specific job there. | "Those who have been following developments in Afghanistan will know that we deployed a significant force in the first place to do a very specific job there. |
| "We recognised that the job would bring certain dangers and risks and we supported our troops with, for example, a deployment of attack helicopters." | "We recognised that the job would bring certain dangers and risks and we supported our troops with, for example, a deployment of attack helicopters." |
| He said the Nimrod aircraft had a good safety record and was maintained to very high standards. | He said the Nimrod aircraft had a good safety record and was maintained to very high standards. |
| Dangers 'understood' | Dangers 'understood' |
| Mr Browne also rejected criticisms that his predecessor John Reid had misjudged the dangers faced by British troops. | Mr Browne also rejected criticisms that his predecessor John Reid had misjudged the dangers faced by British troops. |
| PREVIOUS NIMROD LOSSES 17 November 1980: Bird strike at Roseisle Forest, near Kinloss, Scotland3 June 1984: Fire on board at St Mawgan, Cornwall16 May 1995: Engine fire at Lossiemouth, Scotland2 September 1995: Crash at Toronto Air Show, Canada | PREVIOUS NIMROD LOSSES 17 November 1980: Bird strike at Roseisle Forest, near Kinloss, Scotland3 June 1984: Fire on board at St Mawgan, Cornwall16 May 1995: Engine fire at Lossiemouth, Scotland2 September 1995: Crash at Toronto Air Show, Canada |
| "The nature of the troops and the configuration of those troops we've put onto the ground in Afghanistan and the support that we've gave them - I think very clear evidence that we understood the danger of this." | "The nature of the troops and the configuration of those troops we've put onto the ground in Afghanistan and the support that we've gave them - I think very clear evidence that we understood the danger of this." |
| Meanwhile Foreign Office Minister Kim Howells has now arrived in Kabul on Sunday on his fourth visit to the country. | Meanwhile Foreign Office Minister Kim Howells has now arrived in Kabul on Sunday on his fourth visit to the country. |
| He will be seeing Afghanistan's president Hamid Karzai, government ministers, NATO commanders and UN officials. | He will be seeing Afghanistan's president Hamid Karzai, government ministers, NATO commanders and UN officials. |
| Patrick Mercer, the Conservative spokesman on homeland security, said British forces in Afghanistan needed to be better equipped. | Patrick Mercer, the Conservative spokesman on homeland security, said British forces in Afghanistan needed to be better equipped. |
| "You've got to be prepared for a bloody engagement with doughty fighters like the Taleban. | "You've got to be prepared for a bloody engagement with doughty fighters like the Taleban. |
| "Now if we're going to do that we've got to have the kit, the equipment, the troops, the firepower that we need to do this as effectively as we can." | "Now if we're going to do that we've got to have the kit, the equipment, the troops, the firepower that we need to do this as effectively as we can." |
| Group Captain Chris Birks, station commander at RAF Kinloss, insisted all safety procedures had been followed and the aircraft which crashed had not been overworked. | Group Captain Chris Birks, station commander at RAF Kinloss, insisted all safety procedures had been followed and the aircraft which crashed had not been overworked. |
| "We will always fly as required for operations. | "We will always fly as required for operations. |
| "We have limits set that we do not exceed, and that certainly has been the case in the operations that we are flying in the Middle East and at home." | "We have limits set that we do not exceed, and that certainly has been the case in the operations that we are flying in the Middle East and at home." |
| Tributes | Tributes |
| He paid tribute to the dead men, describing them as "first class personnel". | He paid tribute to the dead men, describing them as "first class personnel". |
| Mr Browne also paid his respects to those who had died, and dismissed claims by the Taleban that militia had shot down the plane. | Mr Browne also paid his respects to those who had died, and dismissed claims by the Taleban that militia had shot down the plane. |
| He said: "The Taleban regularly make claims which we know to be untrue and I think in this case, this is instructive of the nature of their dishonesty. | He said: "The Taleban regularly make claims which we know to be untrue and I think in this case, this is instructive of the nature of their dishonesty. |
| It was not enemy fire that brought the plane down, it was equipment malfunction Dr Alexandra Ashbourne Quick guide: Afghanistan Factfile: Nimrod MR2 Send us your reaction | It was not enemy fire that brought the plane down, it was equipment malfunction Dr Alexandra Ashbourne Quick guide: Afghanistan Factfile: Nimrod MR2 Send us your reaction |
| "In Afghanistan, we have secured the site and the investigation has begun." | "In Afghanistan, we have secured the site and the investigation has begun." |
| Roland Buerk, the BBC's correspondent in Afghanistan, said Nato reported the Nimrod was flying too high to be hit by the Taleban's stinger missiles in the minutes before the crash. | Roland Buerk, the BBC's correspondent in Afghanistan, said Nato reported the Nimrod was flying too high to be hit by the Taleban's stinger missiles in the minutes before the crash. |
| The next of kin are currently being informed of the tragedy. | The next of kin are currently being informed of the tragedy. |
| Major Luke Knittig, a spokesman for the International Security Assistance Force (Isaf), said the aircraft, which had been acting in a support role to the Nato-led force battling the Taleban, had made an emergency call shortly before it disappeared. | Major Luke Knittig, a spokesman for the International Security Assistance Force (Isaf), said the aircraft, which had been acting in a support role to the Nato-led force battling the Taleban, had made an emergency call shortly before it disappeared. |
| Coalition helicopters were reportedly seen flying to the scene of the crash, about 20 km (12 miles) west of the city of Kandahar. | Coalition helicopters were reportedly seen flying to the scene of the crash, about 20 km (12 miles) west of the city of Kandahar. |
| Crash implications probed MPs and experts respond | Crash implications probed MPs and experts respond |
| Aviation journalist Jim Ferguson said the reconnaissance planes had been operating in the country for some time. | Aviation journalist Jim Ferguson said the reconnaissance planes had been operating in the country for some time. |
| "It is used a lot for search and rescue and it may well be doing other interesting tasks out in Afghanistan." | "It is used a lot for search and rescue and it may well be doing other interesting tasks out in Afghanistan." |
| The crash brings the death toll of UK forces personnel in Afghanistan to 36 since the start of operations in November 2001. | The crash brings the death toll of UK forces personnel in Afghanistan to 36 since the start of operations in November 2001. |
| Afghanistan is experiencing its bloodiest period since the fall of the Taleban in 2001, with much of the fighting concentrated in the south. | Afghanistan is experiencing its bloodiest period since the fall of the Taleban in 2001, with much of the fighting concentrated in the south. |
| There are 5,500 British troops in the country, helping to train Afghan security forces, facilitate reconstruction and provide security. | There are 5,500 British troops in the country, helping to train Afghan security forces, facilitate reconstruction and provide security. |
| A special MoD helpline is available on 08457 800 900 for families concerned about relatives. | A special MoD helpline is available on 08457 800 900 for families concerned about relatives. |