CH-46 Sea Knight Used to ferry troops to frontline Related to larger Chinook Carries 22 troops and four crew |
The father of a Welsh serviceman killed when a US helicopter crashed in northern Kuwait has paid tribute to his son. Llywelyn Evans, from Llandudno in north Wales, was a lance bombardier in 29 Commando Royal Artillery, attached to 3 Commando Brigade, Royal Marines.
He was one of 12 British and American servicemen who died a US CH-46 Sea Knight helicopter transporting them into southern Iraq crashed near the border.
Mr Evans' father Gordon said on Sunday evening: "On behalf of my whole family I would like to say that we all devastated by the loss of our son Llywelyn Karl Evans.
"Whilst we are deeply saddened we are and always will be proud of him.
"We wish to express our sincere thanks to all of our family, friends and local people for their kindness and support. This has given us great strength."
 Lance Corporal Llywelyn Evans, 24, died in the helicopter crash |
Special prayers were said in Llandudno on Sunday in remembrance of Lance Bombardier Evans. The Ministry of Defence has not officially named him but it is understood the 24-year-old, who has a brother, Lee, 20, also serving in the Gulf, was being ferried in the twin-rotor machine to secure oil fields.
The former pupil of John Bright Comprehensive School played for Llandudno Rugby Club where he was known to his friends as "Welly" Evans.
Team-mates the club, where he played as a back, cancelled their weekend game in his memory.
Club captain Dave Davies said: "Welly was a superb lad, one of the best.
"We are all devastated here and our thoughts are with his family.
"We need some time to ourselves because have lost a great friend."
Prayers have been said across Wales on Sunday for those involved in the war.
Many of those serving either come from Brecon - or would have been trained at the army base in the town and on the military training ranges of nearby Sennybridge.
At Brecon Cathedral on Sunday, lunchtime prayers were said for the armed forces and for the people of Iraq and the middle east.
It is thought there were problems from the start of Lance Bombardier Evans' mission as pilots complained of the thick, black smoke from oil-filled trench which the Iraqis had set alight.
The first helicopter in the mission was forced to return, but the pilot of the fated machine decided to press on.
3 Commando Brigade Formed during World War II Part of the UK's Joint Rapid Reaction Force 3,500 personnel Includes three lightly armed units - 40, 42 and 45 Commando |
The aircraft was seen to nosedive into the ground eight miles south of Basra.
Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon said the crash was not the result of enemy action and Prime Minister Tony Blair said Britain owed an "immense debt of gratitude" to the troops who had died.
Group Captain Jon Fynes who was based at RAF Valley on Anglesey for eight years - where he oversaw pilots' low-level flight training before being deployed to the Gulf - said the scale of the coalition operation brought its own dangers.
"In an environment such as this, with so many helicopters and aircraft operating, there is always going to be a risk."
Colonel Philip Wilkinson, formerly of 3 Commando Brigade, said: "Procedures would have been put in place to ensure that the families of the bereaved will get maximum support in every sense, emotional and financial from the system.
"And the system will be the family of 3 Commando Brigade."
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