Troops 'were crushed by aircraft'

RAF Sergeant McLaren and Colour Sergeant Powell died last April

Two British servicemen were crushed to death during a botched helicopter landing in Iraq, an inquest has heard.

Colour Sergeant Mark Powell, 38, of the Parachute Regiment, and RAF Sergeant Mark McLaren, 28, died in the crash in April 2007. Several others were hurt.

Coroner David Masters said the dead men were found under their Puma helicopter after it hit another.

The two helicopters were part of a five-strong task force flying north of the Iraqi capital, Baghdad.

'Shredded rotor blades'

Sgt Powell, from Porthcawl, near Bridgend, and Sgt McLaren, from Ashington, Northumberland, were both pronounced dead at the scene.

Four other servicemen in their helicopter were injured, one of them seriously.

The inquest heard that in the early hours of April 15 2007, the lead helicopter - Puma One - touched down and troops disembarked before a second helicopter - Puma two - carrying the two men who were killed, came into land.

The coroner said: "We shall hear that as Puma Two descended to land its main rotor blades came into contact with Puma One's main rotor blades.

As it rolled the crewman, who was Sgt McLaren, fell out of the right end cabin door Coroner David Masters

"As a result Puma One's tail boom broke and it yawed left, rotated and moved some three feet across the ground.

"Its main rotor blades were shredded. A jolt was felt in Puma Two, it started to yaw left and roll to its right.

"Sections of the blade broke off and flew through the air. A dynamic roll-over occurred. It came to rest on its right side. The tail flung over the top of the aircraft.

"As it rolled the crewman, who was Sgt McLaren, fell out of the right end cabin door. Sgt Powell, had been sitting in the right-hand cabin doorway.

"He and Sgt McLaren were found trapped underneath the aircraft. Both died at the scene."

The coroner said a Home Office pathologist found Sgt Powell died of multiple injuries, and Sgt McLaren died of traumatic asphyxia.

He said he would want to hear evidence on the safety belt system as well as the automatic pilot and the "faults present within it".

The inquest continues.