Inquest hears Nimrod recordings

The RAF Nimrod fleet has been flying for several decades

A recording from the cockpit of an RAF Nimrod taken moments before it exploded has been played at an inquest to the families of the 14 men who died.

The aircraft exploded minutes after air-to-air refuelling near Kandahar, Afghanistan, on 2 September 2006.

A Harrier jet pilot who was flying nearby told the Oxford inquest he saw a "massive, catastrophic explosion".

Flt Lt Douglas McKay said the blast was spherical in shape and "about twice the diameter of the aircraft's wing span."

He said he initially saw two fires coming out from the rear of Nimrod XV230, some 90 seconds before the blast engulfed it.

The Nimrod was "totally destroyed before it hit the ground", Flt Lt McKay said.

Final moments

The blast was caused by fuel leaking and igniting on contact with a hot air pipe, the inquest has already heard.

The first part of the onboard audio recording, which ends about two minutes before Nimrod exploded, reveals the crew's communications about the refuelling procedure.

But moments later an engineer announces that there is a fire warning.

While more fire reports from his crew come across the radio the captain, Flt Lt Allan Squires, orders to steer towards Kandahar for an emergency landing.

However, at 3,000ft the aircraft exploded.

The Ministry of Defence has defended the Nimrod fleet's safety record.

The 14 men killed were:

Flight Lieutenant Steven Johnson, 38, from Collingham, Nottinghamshire, Flt Lt Leigh Anthony Mitchelmore, 28, from Bournemouth, Dorset, Flt Lt Gareth Rodney Nicholas, 40, from Redruth, Cornwall, Flt Lt Allan James Squires, 39, from Clatterbridge, Merseyside and Flt Lt Steven Swarbrick, 28, from Liverpool.

Also Flight Sergeant Gary Wayne Andrews, 48, from Tankerton, Kent, Flt Sgt Stephen Beattie, 42, from Dundee, Flt Sgt Gerard Martin Bell, 48, from Newport, Shropshire, and Flt Sgt Adrian Davies, 49, from Amersham, Buckinghamshire, Sergeant Benjamin James Knight, 25, from Bridgwater, Sgt John Joseph Langton, 29,from Liverpool and Sgt Gary Paul Quilliam, 42, from Manchester.

Lance Corporal Oliver Simon Dicketts, of the Parachute Regiment, from Wadhurst, East Sussex, and Royal Marine Joseph David Windall, 22, from Hazlemere, Buckinghamshire, also died.

The Nimrod and most of the crew had been based at RAF Kinloss, in Moray.

The inquest continues.