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Dead cadet's parents seek charges Dead cadet's parents seek charges
(about 2 hours later)
The parents of a teenage Army cadet killed in a boating accident have called for criminal charges to be brought as a result of her death. The parents of a teenage Army cadet killed in a boating accident have called for criminal charges to be brought against the organisers.
Kaylee McIntosh, 14, drowned after being pinned under a capsized boat while wearing the wrong kind of lifejacket, an investigation has found.Kaylee McIntosh, 14, drowned after being pinned under a capsized boat while wearing the wrong kind of lifejacket, an investigation has found.
Kaylee, of Fyvie, Aberdeenshire, died on Loch Carnan on South Uist.Kaylee, of Fyvie, Aberdeenshire, died on Loch Carnan on South Uist.
Derek and Lesley McIntosh said the "harrowing" report detailed a series of serious mistakes surrounding her death.Derek and Lesley McIntosh said the "harrowing" report detailed a series of serious mistakes surrounding her death.
They said in a statement: "The report makes harrowing reading for us because it details an unbelievable catalogue of terrible mistakes and misjudgements that cost Kaylee her life. Kaylee died during a training exercise in the Outer Hebrides last summer.
It is tragic that the only way she will now serve the Army is if lessons are learned from her death so that this never happens again Derek and Lesley McIntoshKaylee's parents A Marine Accident Investigation Branch report said her lifejacket was not approved for use by children.
It is tragic that the only way she will now serve the Army is if lessons are learned from her death so that this never happens again Derek and Lesley McIntoshKaylee's parents Cadet 'had wrong lifejacket'
It said the jacket's extra buoyancy would have pinned her under the boat.
The report also revealed that an error in a headcount taken after the incident meant the teenager was trapped under the boat for an hour-and-a-half before it was noticed she was missing.
Her parents said in a statement: "The report makes harrowing reading for us because it details an unbelievable catalogue of terrible mistakes and misjudgements that cost Kaylee her life.
"Nothing can bring our precious daughter back, and nothing can ease our pain at her loss."Nothing can bring our precious daughter back, and nothing can ease our pain at her loss.
"But justice demands that some of those who behaved so irresponsibly and who failed so completely in their duty of care to Kaylee must face criminal charges in connection with her death.""But justice demands that some of those who behaved so irresponsibly and who failed so completely in their duty of care to Kaylee must face criminal charges in connection with her death."
'Badly wrong' They welcomed the fact there is to be a public inquiry.
They explained: "Kaylee should never even have been on an assault boat. We gave permission for canoeing and kayaking, not high-speed assault craft. Chain of command
Kaylee's parents explained: "The report goes into a lot of detail about what happened on the day, but it leaves as many questions unanswered as answered.
"Among the questions that still haunt us, and which the inquiry has to answer, are how could they get the headcount wrong after the boat capsized?
"Surely the officer in charge must have known how many people were on the boat and must have realised when he could only account for 11 people that one person was missing?"
They went on: "How could the adult instructor who was under the boat with Kaylee not realise she was still trapped when she got out herself, and how did it take an hour-and-a-half before Kaylee was missed?
READ THE FINDINGS The full MAIB report Most computers will open PDF documents automatically, but you may need to download Adobe Acrobat Reader. Download the reader here
"How far up the chain of command does responsibility lie for all these events, including the fact that the cadet force was issuing young people like Kaylee with adult lifejackets that could kill them instead of saving them?"
Mr and Mrs McIntosh said their daughter should not have been on an assault boat, as they had only given permission for canoeing and kayaking.
"The hardest part for us is that she was trapped in an air pocket under the boat with an adult's lifejacket that was so buoyant she could never get out on her own."The hardest part for us is that she was trapped in an air pocket under the boat with an adult's lifejacket that was so buoyant she could never get out on her own.
"And because the headcount went so badly wrong nobody realised she was missing so nobody tried to save her. When she was finally missed an hour-and-a-half later it was too late. "And because the headcount went so badly wrong nobody realised she was missing so nobody tried to save her. When she was finally missed an hour-and-a-half later it was too late."
'Let down'
Her parents recalled: "The Army was her life. She loved being in the cadets, and jumped at the adventure involved in going on such a trip.
"She had her career in the Army all mapped out and was determined to serve her country. The report shows she was badly let down by them.
"It is tragic that the only way she will now serve the Army is if lessons are learned from her death so that this never happens again.""It is tragic that the only way she will now serve the Army is if lessons are learned from her death so that this never happens again."
Although it is not certain when Cadet M drowned, the delay in recognising the fact that she was missing undoubtedly reduced her chances of survival Marine Accident Investigation Branch report
They concluded: "We just want every parent or carer who had a child on these boats to give them a hug and be grateful for the fact that they are alive.
class="" href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/pdfs/18_03_08_maibreport.pdf">Read the report Most computers will open PDF documents automatically, but you may need to download Adobe Acrobat Reader. href="http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html">Download the reader here "What happened to Kaylee could just as easily have happened to any one of the others on board that boat."
They also welcomed the fact there is to be a fatal accident inquiry in May. Co-operated fully
Kaylee died in the Outer Hebrides last summer.
A Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) report said her lifejacket was not approved for use by children.
It said the jacket's extra buoyancy would have pinned her under the boat.
An error in a headcount taken after the incident meant the teenager was trapped under the boat for an hour-and-a-half before it was noticed she was missing.
Her body was recovered by fish farm workers from under the vessel off Steisay Island two hours later.
The report said the lifejacket Kaylee was given was more than three times the buoyancy of those usually used by cadets in training activities.
'Instinctive reaction'
It stated: "Following capsize, of the four persons who surfaced under the upturned hull, only Cadet M was unable to swim clear.
"When recovered, her lifejacket was inflated and, as this had to be achieved manually, it is evident that she took this action at some point during her ordeal.
"In the absence of any instructions regarding what to do in the event of capsize, this was probably an instinctive reaction to help keep her afloat.
"However, the lifejacket was not approved for use by children, and its buoyancy was over three times that of the approved lifejackets supplied for cadet force adventurous training activities.
"Consequently, once inflated, it would have pinned Cadet M under the craft and prevented her escape."
Kaylee was one of 34 cadets taking part in the three-boat exercise on 3 August.
A rescue operation was launched after a vessel carrying the schoolgirl and 12 others capsized in choppy seas.
A machine gun had been strapped to the boat, against regulations
The vessel, known as a Rigid Raiding Craft 2, had taken on water which became trapped on deck because the boat's "trouser leg" drains had not been lowered.
An instruction for the seated cadets to move from one side of the boat to the other triggered it to go under.
A headcount was carried out, but it is thought that a young female instructor may have been identified as a cadet or counted twice.
As the cadets came from different detachments across the county and were seated in the boats on a first-come-first-served basis, nobody noticed Kaylee was missing.
The report stated: "Although it is not certain when Cadet M drowned, the delay in recognising the fact that she was missing undoubtedly reduced her chances of survival."
The investigation identified several other failures during the exercise.
It said the boat was "ill-prepared and ill-equipped" to navigate safely between Loch Carnan and Loch Skipport.
The report also said the route had not been properly planned and the coxswains had not been well briefed.
It also pointed out that while the cadets were carrying regulation training rifles, the cadet executive officer (CEO) - a former paratrooper - had fitted a general purpose machine gun with blank ammunition to the boat.
'Tragic accident'
Such a weapon is not authorised for the Army Cadet Force (ACF) to use.
Following the accident, all boat "gifting" from the Ministry of Defence to the ACF has been suspended.
The 2nd Battalion the Highlanders ACF, of which Kaylee was a member, has also temporarily suspended all powerboat activities.
An MoD statement said: "The Army and Army Cadet Forces have taken actions in the light of this tragic accident.An MoD statement said: "The Army and Army Cadet Forces have taken actions in the light of this tragic accident.
"We are still awaiting directions from Stornoway procurator fiscal and it would be unwise to speculate or comment further until that decision is made."We are still awaiting directions from Stornoway procurator fiscal and it would be unwise to speculate or comment further until that decision is made.
"The Army has co-operated fully with investigations by Northern Constabulary and the MAIB and remains available to assist in any way possible."The Army has co-operated fully with investigations by Northern Constabulary and the MAIB and remains available to assist in any way possible.
"The Army will reopen its own Board of Inquiry into the incident once all the investigations have been completed by the procurator fiscal, the Northern Constabulary and the MAIB.""The Army will reopen its own Board of Inquiry into the incident once all the investigations have been completed by the procurator fiscal, the Northern Constabulary and the MAIB."