This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/uk/7416627.stm
The article has changed 20 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| RAF Nimrod was 'never airworthy' | RAF Nimrod was 'never airworthy' |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| The RAF's entire fleet of Nimrod aircraft has "never been airworthy", a coroner has said. | |
| Oxfordshire coroner Andrew Walker was speaking as he began to give his verdict on the deaths of 14 servicemen in a crash in Afghanistan in 2006. | |
| All the men died when a 37-year-old reconnaissance plane exploded minutes after undergoing air-to-air refuelling. | All the men died when a 37-year-old reconnaissance plane exploded minutes after undergoing air-to-air refuelling. |
| He said the crew and passengers on that day could not have known that their plane was not fit to fly. | He said the crew and passengers on that day could not have known that their plane was not fit to fly. |
| In his view the entire Nimrod fleet had "never been airworthy from the first time it was released to service" nearly 40 years ago, he added. | In his view the entire Nimrod fleet had "never been airworthy from the first time it was released to service" nearly 40 years ago, he added. |
| The crash led to the biggest single loss of life suffered by the British military since the Falklands War. | |
| Twelve of the men who died were from 120 Squadron based at RAF Kinloss in Moray, Scotland. | |
| Two other servicemen who were attached to the squadron also died. | |
| Grounding | |
| On Thursday, Mr Walker said he was considering a number of safety recommendations, including the grounding of the entire Nimrod fleet. | |
| But the Ministry of Defence is under no obligation to carry out any of his recommendations. | |
| The 14 men killed were: | |
| Flight Lieutenant Steven Johnson, 38, from Collingham, Nottinghamshire, Flt Lt Leigh Anthony Mitchelmore, 28, from Bournemouth, Dorset, Flt Lt Gareth Rodney Nicholas, 40, from Redruth, Cornwall, Flt Lt Allan James Squires, 39, from Clatterbridge, Merseyside and Flt Lt Steven Swarbrick, 28, from Liverpool. | |
| Flight Sergeant Gary Wayne Andrews, 48, from Tankerton, Kent, Flt Sgt Stephen Beattie, 42, from Dundee, Flt Sgt Gerard Martin Bell, 48, from Newport, Shropshire, and Flt Sgt Adrian Davies, 49, from Amersham, Buckinghamshire, Sergeant Benjamin James Knight, 25, from Bridgwater, Sgt John Joseph Langton, 29,from Liverpool and Sgt Gary Paul Quilliam, 42, from Manchester. | |
| Lance Corporal Oliver Simon Dicketts, of the Parachute Regiment, from Wadhurst and Royal Marine Joseph David Windall, 22, from Hazlemere. |