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 06 July 2008 14:15 BST

Inquest into Nimrod deaths begins

Wednesday, 07 May 2008 12:21
The Nimrod spy plane exploded in Afghanistan in 2006 killing 14 men
An inquest into the deaths of 14 servicemen who were killed when the Nimrod spy plane they were travelling in exploded over Afghanistan has begun.

The plane crashed after undergoing air-to-air refuelling near Kandahar in September 2006, causing a loss of life which was the heaviest in a single incident since the Falklands War.

Oxfordshire assistant deputy coroner Andrew Walker will preside over the inquest.

An RAF Board of Inquiry (BoI) into the crash declared the ageing components and lack of fire suppressants onboard were among the "contributory factors" which led to the accident.

The BoI report also claimed that fuel probably escaped during the refuelling and later caught fire.

The men killed when the plane exploded mid-air were Flight Lieutenant Steven Johnson, Flt Lt Leigh Anthony Mitchelmore, Flt Lt Gareth Rodney Nicholas, Flt Lt Allan James Squires, Flt Lt Steven Swarbrick, Flight Sergeant Gary Wayne Andrews, Flt Sgt Stephen Beattie, Flt Sgt Gerard Martin Bell and Flt Sgt Adrian Davies, Sgt Benjamin James Knight, Sgt John Joseph Langton and Sgt Gary Paul Quilliam.

Lance Corporal Oliver Simon Dicketts, from the Parachute Regiment, and Royal Marine Joseph David Windall also died in the crash.

Defence secretary Des Browne has previously apologised to the families of the men but the Ministry of Defence has repeatedly defended the safety record of the Nimrod.

The families of the deceased visited a similar plane at RAF Brize Norton yesterday.End of story


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