Last surviving parent of Chinook crash victims dies

2 hours ago

News image — John Dockerty who lived in Suffolk had been seeking answers surrounding the 1994 Chinook helicopter crash for more than 30 years

Chinook Justice Campaign/PA Media John Dockerty, a man who is sitting down in a chair with large glass windows behind him. He is sitting to the side of the picture and is looking directly at the camera. He is wearing a blue shirt with a blue dogstooth patterned tie and a pair of glasses. — John Dockerty who lived in Suffolk had been seeking answers surrounding the 1994 Chinook helicopter crash for more than 30 years

The last surviving parent of the 1994 RAF Chinook helicopter crash victims has died at the age of 96.

Major Christopher Dockerty, 33, whose family lived in Cambridgeshire, was one of 29 people killed in the crash on the Mull of Kintyre in Scotland on 2 June that year.

John Dockerty, who lived in Suffolk, sought answers surrounding the circumstances of the crash for more than three decades.

His daughter Nicola Rawcliffe said: "My father spent the last 32 years wondering why his eldest son and my brother Chris died. He died still fighting for answers."

The helicopter had been travelling from RAF Aldergrove in Northern Ireland to Fort George near Inverness in thick fog when it crashed.

The aircraft had been carrying leading security personnel, all of whom died in the crash.

While the incident was initially blamed on pilot error, this was overturned in 2011.

The families of the victims have previously called for High Court judges to review information they said was not considered in previous investigations and for the government to release documents which have been sealed for 100 years.

Nicola Rawcliffe Nicola Rawcliffe is looking directly at the camera and smiling. She has thick grey hair that comes down to the tops of her shoulders. She is wearing a white and light blue striped shirt and a pair of glasses. She is standing in front of a white wall with wooden beams. — Nicola Rawcliffe said she is "horrified" her father never saw justice following her brother's death

Nicola Rawcliffe, who now lives in Diss, Norfolk, said her father campaigned with "dignity and determination".

She said: "It is heartbreaking that he has died without the government and MoD acknowledging the truth about the circumstances surrounding the crash."

Her father was "disgusted" the details of the incident had "been allowed to fester", she added.

"We are devastated by the loss of my father and horrified that he never saw justice for Chris," she said.

"It is bad enough that a parent has to bury their child, but a parent having to ask the State as to why they died adds insult to injury."

Nicola Rawcliffe A black and white picture of Major Christopher Dockerty. He is smiling as he looks away from the camera towards the left of the frame. He has short hair and a shaved beard. He is wearing an army uniform. — Major Christopher Dockerty was one of 29 people on board the RAF Chinook helicopter which had been carrying leading security personnel

Campaigners met with ministers in December and are due to meet with victims minister, Alex Davies-Jones, on Wednesday.

Following the death of the group's technical expert David Hill, who created detailed analysis of the aircraft and its systems, and now John Dockerty, campaigners have said their deaths underline the urgency of resolving the case and getting "truth, transparency and justice".

A spokesman for the Ministry of Defence said: "The Mull of Kintyre crash was a tragic accident and our thoughts and sympathies remain with the families, friends and colleagues of all those who died.

"We understand that the lack of certainty about the cause of the crash has added to the distress of the families.

"The accident has already been the subject of six inquiries and investigations, including an independent judge-led review."

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