Systemic failures that led to 10 deaths on Hercules in Iraq

Coroner attacks systemic failures that led to 10 deaths on Hercules in Iraq
Inquest suggests fitting of explosion-suppressant foam around fuel tanks could have saved lives of crew

A "serious systemic failure" meant that an RAF Hercules plane shot down in Iraq with the loss of 10 servicemen was not fitted with safety equipment that might have saved their lives, a coroner ruled yesterday.

David Masters said it was difficult to see the logic in a decision to ignore recommendations from air tactics experts to fit the Hercules fleet with foam designed to stop fuel tanks igniting. Delivering his verdict, he demanded that all RAF combat aircraft be fitted with safety systems to minimise the risk of this kind of explosion.

The verdict is the latest in a series of inquests to be highly critical of the Ministry of Defence over the deaths of British personnel in Iraq and Afghanistan.

In yesterday's verdict, the coroner said a second "systemic failure" meant an intelligence report from the Americans about an ambush of two helicopters did not reach the Hercules - with the result that it flew into the same trap hours later.

Since the tragedy in 2005, explosion-suppressant foam (ESF) has been fitted to all Hercules planes in Iraq and Afghanistan and changes have been made to how intelligence reports are handled. But Masters, the Wiltshire coroner, told the families of the men that he would be making more than a dozen recommendations to the MoD to try to make sure the failings never happened again.

Outside court, Sarah Chapman, sister of Flight Sergeant Bob O'Connor, said the vulnerability of the Hercules had been known "for decades". She added: "My brother was let down. The whole crew was let down by an organisation they loved."
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