 Ten servicemen died when the Hercules came down in Iraq |
Inquests are due to open into the deaths of 10 servicemen from RAF Lyneham, who died when their Hercules plane crashed in Iraq. The Wiltshire-based crew's plane crashed near Baghdad on 30 January, on the day Iraq held historic elections. The Ministry of Defence has ruled out sabotage and mechanical failure but has not yet discounted Iraqi insurgents' claims that the plane was shot down. The bodies will be released for burial after the inquest in Trowbridge. A Royal Air Force interim report said the cause of the crash was not yet known. Strike Command It dismissed several possible causes including a lightning strike, engine fire or a collision. Investigators were still looking into other possible causes for the crash, the MoD said. The inquest was due to take place at Trowbridge Magistrates' Court. The Lyneham crew members killed were Flt Lt David Stead, 35, Flt Lt Andrew Smith, 25, Flt Lt Paul Pardoel, 35, Master Engineer Gary Nicholson, 42, Chief Technician Richard Brown, 40, Flt Sgt Mark Gibson, 34, and Sgt Robert O'Connor, 38. Cpl David Williams, 37, was also from Lyneham and also on board. The ninth RAF man on board, Sqn Ldr Patrick Marshall, 39, was from Strike Command Headquarters at RAF High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, and a passenger. Acting L/Cpl Steven Jones, 25, was a soldier serving with the Royal Signals and was serving as a crew member on the Hercules.
| 
Breakfast 
E-mail this to a friend 
Printable version 
BBC Wiltshire
BBC News
Bookmark with:
What are these?