Anger at Chinook inquiry refusal

The cause of the Chinook crash is hotly disputed

Relatives of the 29 who died in the Mull of Kintyre Chinook helicopter crash say they are appalled at a Ministry of Defence refusal to reopen the investigation into the tragedy.

A leaked report has cast doubt on the verdicts of a Royal Air Force board of inquiry which blamed the pilots, saying there were four possible causes of the accident.

However, a Ministry of Defence spokesman said there was nothing new in the report and that the inquiry would not be reopened.

Ann Magee, who lost her husband Kevin in the 1994 tragedy, said she was appalled at the decision.

Twenty five intelligence officers and four air crew died when the helicopter crashed in thick fog during a flight from Ulster to Inverness.

We're right behind the pilots' families all the way - We've all lost our husbands or brothers but they've lost so much more

Ann Magee

A report by three fellows of the Royal Aeronautical Society suggests there could have been a runaway engine caused by a computer fault; a failure in the system that slaves the helicopter's rotors together; loss of control due to contamination of the hydraulic system; and a physical jam in the control mechanism.

Former defence secretary Sir Malcolm Rifkind said that, in light of the expert opinion, the verdicts of gross negligence against the two pilots were "very unfair and unsound" and the government should reopen the inquiry.

An MoD spokesman said on Saturday there was "nothing new" in the report by three retired pilots.

He added: "We had a thorough investigation into the crash done by the statutory authority of a board of inquiry.

Emotional cost

"We are always ready to examine very carefully anything thought to provide a fresh insight into the crash, but so far there's been nothing to provide such an insight."

Mrs Magee said: "I'll write to the prime minister again, some of the other widows will as well.

The Ministry of Defence have refused to reopen the inquiry

"We're right behind the pilots' families all the way. We've all lost our husbands or brothers but they've lost so much more.

"The cost emotionally to them is immense."

The RAF board of inquiry said that, based on the limited evidence, the wrong rate of climb was the most likely cause.

It decided that, although technical malfunction was unlikely, it could not be disproved.

Its finding have never been accepted by the families of the two pilots killed, Flight Lieutenant Jonathan Tapper and Flight Lieutenant Rick Cook.

Unsafe verdicts

Sir Malcolm Rifkind, who was defence secretary at the time and gave the original verdict, said it was unwise of the Ministry of Defence to insist on sustaining the verdict of gross negligence against the pilots.

He said: "No one knows or claims to know the actual cause of the accident

"What is being said very clearly is that there are a number of possible explanations.

Sir Malcolm Rifkind: Delivered original "gross negligence" verdict

"Information just does not exist to be certain which of these explanations is correct.

"The problem of the Royal Air Force verdict of gross negligence is that, because we can't find any technical cause of the accident, it must have been gross negligence and that his a very unfair and unsound basis on which to conclude this matter.

"These were two very senior, very professional pilots. Their competence had never been questioned in the past. There was thick cloud that day.

"The suggestion was that they flew the plane dangerously despite the weather circumstances.

"None of us can say for certain that that is wrong, but equally we cannot say for certain that is the explanation.

"You don't normally find people guilty of gross negligence unless there is clear evidence that points to that.

"At the end of the day this is the responsibility of the Ministry of Defence, and therefore, of the government."

Liberal Democrat foreign affairs spokesman Menzies Campbell said: "I believe there was an injustice here and it's time that was put right."