Death convoy not given air cover

The officer in charge of a military convoy hit by an explosion which killed a soldier has told an inquest he did not think there was a significant risk.

The 44-vehicle convoy, which was moving equipment across Afghanistan, had no air cover at the time of the attack on 17 September 2007, the inquest heard.

But Lt Col Gerry Ewart-Brookes said it was not an issue that worried him.

Cpl Ivano Violino, 29, of Kent's 20 Field Squadron 36 Engineer Regiment, died before he arrived at hospital.

The father of two from Salford was part of the convoy moving engineering equipment to a Forward Operating Base nearly 12 miles north-east of the town of Gereshk.

"There are a very limited number of helicopters as I'm sure you are aware"

The inquest in Tunbridge Wells heard that an emergency response helicopter was sent to the scene of the blast but medics could not save the soldier.

The driver of the vehicle, from the Queen's Gurkha Engineers, was blasted into the air from the impact of the explosion but escaped without lasting physical injuries.

Asked by Coroner Christopher Sutton-Maddocks whether the convoy should have had air cover protection, Lt Col Ewart-Brookes said he did not regard the location as "particularly high risk".

He told the inquest he had requested air cover the day before, but the helicopter that was meant to be sent to them was sent somewhere else.

"There are a very limited number of helicopters as I'm sure you are aware," the soldier told the hearing.

"If I had been offered one there I would not have thought it necessary to have it there and would have chosen somewhere else."

Cpl Violino had been in Afghanistan for less than three weeks when he was killed.

The inquest continues.

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