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| Capt Stephen Healey was 'one of the best' inquest hears | Capt Stephen Healey was 'one of the best' inquest hears |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| An army officer killed by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan was "one of the best of his generation", an inquest heard. | An army officer killed by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan was "one of the best of his generation", an inquest heard. |
| Capt Stephen Healey, 29, from Cardiff, was commanding his platoon from a lead vehicle when it ran over and detonated the Improvised Explosive Device (IED). | Capt Stephen Healey, 29, from Cardiff, was commanding his platoon from a lead vehicle when it ran over and detonated the Improvised Explosive Device (IED). |
| The blast in Helmand Province in May 2011, threw the vehicle into the air, killing the ex-Swansea City footballer. | The blast in Helmand Province in May 2011, threw the vehicle into the air, killing the ex-Swansea City footballer. |
| The coroner recorded a verdict of death by blast injuries on active service. | |
| Capt Healey had survived an IED blast in Helmand Province two years earlier. | Capt Healey had survived an IED blast in Helmand Province two years earlier. |
| The inquest heard he had been an apprentice at Swansea City FC before joining the Army and being commissioned into 1st Battalion, The Royal Welsh (Royal Welch Fusiliers). | The inquest heard he had been an apprentice at Swansea City FC before joining the Army and being commissioned into 1st Battalion, The Royal Welsh (Royal Welch Fusiliers). |
| The inquest was told on the day of Capt Healey's death, the armoured Jackal patrol vehicle he was in landed on its side where he was sitting. | The inquest was told on the day of Capt Healey's death, the armoured Jackal patrol vehicle he was in landed on its side where he was sitting. |
| He died in a Chinook helicopter which was taking him to military hospital. | He died in a Chinook helicopter which was taking him to military hospital. |
| 'Fun to be around' | 'Fun to be around' |
| His Commanding officer, Major Charles Carver, told the inquest: "Professionally Capt Healey was one of the best of his generation. | His Commanding officer, Major Charles Carver, told the inquest: "Professionally Capt Healey was one of the best of his generation. |
| "Not only that he was gregarious and fun to be around - he was able to get on with anybody." | "Not only that he was gregarious and fun to be around - he was able to get on with anybody." |
| The inquest was told Capt Healey was protecting a road in the north of the Nahr-e Saraj District. | The inquest was told Capt Healey was protecting a road in the north of the Nahr-e Saraj District. |
| He and his platoon were on their way to check a canal crossing point on a gravel track. | He and his platoon were on their way to check a canal crossing point on a gravel track. |
| Driver Lce Corp Ian Lane said: "We crept forward slowly along the track looking for IEDs. The next thing I know I was up in the air. | Driver Lce Corp Ian Lane said: "We crept forward slowly along the track looking for IEDs. The next thing I know I was up in the air. |
| "We landed down on the passenger side - everyone remained strapped in the vehicle apart from the gunner who was thrown onto the ground. | "We landed down on the passenger side - everyone remained strapped in the vehicle apart from the gunner who was thrown onto the ground. |
| "It took a couple of seconds to realise what happened. | "It took a couple of seconds to realise what happened. |
| "I looked and saw signs of injury to Capt Healey and we went automatically into what we were trained to do - give first aid to him. | "I looked and saw signs of injury to Capt Healey and we went automatically into what we were trained to do - give first aid to him. |
| "But I could see the circumstances were not good." | "But I could see the circumstances were not good." |
| 'Unresponsive' | 'Unresponsive' |
| Medic Lce Corp Brian King told how he was first to reach Capt Healey. | Medic Lce Corp Brian King told how he was first to reach Capt Healey. |
| "He was unresponsive," he said. "I tried to talk to him but he wasn't responding in any way. | "He was unresponsive," he said. "I tried to talk to him but he wasn't responding in any way. |
| "He had a broken jaw and he wasn't breathing. There was no pulse." | "He had a broken jaw and he wasn't breathing. There was no pulse." |
| The inquest heard five more buried IEDs were found along the route where Capt Healey died. | The inquest heard five more buried IEDs were found along the route where Capt Healey died. |
| He was mentioned in Dispatches for his outstanding leadership and bravery in the face of enemy fire on his first tour of Afghanistan in 2009. | He was mentioned in Dispatches for his outstanding leadership and bravery in the face of enemy fire on his first tour of Afghanistan in 2009. |
| Coroner Mary Hassel said Capt Healey was well trained and equipped for his task in Afghanistan. | |
| She told his inquest: "He was by all accounts a quite outstanding officer. | |
| "He was aware of the risk of IEDs. He had come across one that morning and it must have been very fresh in his mind. | |
| "But in spite of his best efforts his vehicle hit an IED - and the moment that vehicle hit the IED the die was cast. | |
| "I have heard about really heroic efforts from the medics to try and save Capt Healey but I am sure that nothing could have been done for him. | |
| "The blast was so huge and the injuries so devastating there was no way of coming back from that." | |
| Capt Healey left behind his father John, mother Kerry, brother Simon and girlfriend Thea Davies. | |
| Ms Davies said after the inquest: "Stephen will always be in my heart. I will miss him so much. He was my love, my life and my everything. | |
| "Now he rests in peace. He was living the life he wanted to do with his men." | |
| His family issued a statement saying: "Stephen was all you could wish for in a son, brother, uncle and friend. | |
| "He will be sadly missed by us all. He managed to do more in his 30 years than most people do in a lifetime." |