Patrol boat victims to be named

Four British troops killed in a bomb attack on their patrol boat in Basra are expected to be named by the Ministry of Defence.

One of those killed in the Remembrance Sunday attacks was a woman serving with the Army's Intelligence Corps.

She is the second British woman killed in action in Iraq since war began.

Two Royal Marine commandos from 539 Assault Squadron and an Army signaller also died in the improvised bomb attack at the Shatt al-Arab waterway.

A total of 125 British troops have now died in Iraq since the war started in 2003, 95 from hostile action. Another three service personnel were injured in Sunday's attack.

The condition of one of those injured in that attack has improved significantly but the two others hurt remain in a very serious condition.

It is slightly unusual in that this time it was targeting a boat Capt Tane Dunlop Q&A: Basra boat attack

Weapons experts have said they are analysing the attack in "minute detail".

One of the marines who died was serving with the 539 Assault Squadron - based near Plymouth in Devon - but was attached from 45 Commando.

Some of the families of those killed asked for a period of 24 hours before names were released.

The only other woman to die in action in Iraq since the present campaign began was Sarah-Jayne Mulvihill, 32, whose helicopter was shot down over Basra in May.

Captain Tane Dunlop has said an inquiry into Sunday's attack would try to find out how insurgents were able to target the boat.

The attack is thought to be the first such one on a patrol boat carrying British personnel who have been patrolling the waterway, which borders Iran, since 2003.

That had been thought to be a safer way to travel between bases than going by road.

The deaths came on the same weekend that troops in Basra and elsewhere in Iraq paid their respects to lost colleagues, to mark Remembrance Day.