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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| 'Failings' behind death of marine | 'Failings' behind death of marine |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| A coroner hearing the case of a Royal Marine killed by "friendly fire" in Iraq has ruled his death was caused by serious failings by the military. | A coroner hearing the case of a Royal Marine killed by "friendly fire" in Iraq has ruled his death was caused by serious failings by the military. |
| Christopher Maddison, 24, from Scarborough, was killed by his own side during a river patrol in 2003. | Christopher Maddison, 24, from Scarborough, was killed by his own side during a river patrol in 2003. |
| Coroner Andrew Walker said the marine, based in Plymouth, had been let down by those in command. | Coroner Andrew Walker said the marine, based in Plymouth, had been let down by those in command. |
| Mr Maddison's mother said the Ministry of Defence had failed in its duty of care to her son. | Mr Maddison's mother said the Ministry of Defence had failed in its duty of care to her son. |
| Oxford Coroner's Court heard missiles were fired at the marine's boat after Royal Engineers soldiers manning a crossing point upriver were told they were being approached by two enemy craft. | Oxford Coroner's Court heard missiles were fired at the marine's boat after Royal Engineers soldiers manning a crossing point upriver were told they were being approached by two enemy craft. |
| Chain of command | Chain of command |
| Mr Maddison died from shrapnel wounds inflicted by a missile fired from the crossing point on the Khawr Az Zubayr river in southern Iraq. | Mr Maddison died from shrapnel wounds inflicted by a missile fired from the crossing point on the Khawr Az Zubayr river in southern Iraq. |
| Recording a narrative verdict, Mr Walker said there were serious failures in the chain of command at the crossing point. | Recording a narrative verdict, Mr Walker said there were serious failures in the chain of command at the crossing point. |
| The lack of duty of care to possible risks and consequences effectively created an obvious chain of events which could have led to further loss of life Julie Maddison, mother href="/1/hi/uk/6186638.stm" class="">Troop levels in Iraq to fall | |
| He also said there had been a failure to provide a liaison officer to keep soldiers at the crossing updated of the patrol's whereabouts, and a failure to provide adequate communication between the crossing point and the two patrolling craft. | He also said there had been a failure to provide a liaison officer to keep soldiers at the crossing updated of the patrol's whereabouts, and a failure to provide adequate communication between the crossing point and the two patrolling craft. |
| He said Mr Maddison was "was let down by those who were in command and by the communication system in operation at that time". | He said Mr Maddison was "was let down by those who were in command and by the communication system in operation at that time". |
| In a statement, the marine's mother, Julie Maddison, said leadership had fallen "far below" what could reasonably have been expected. | In a statement, the marine's mother, Julie Maddison, said leadership had fallen "far below" what could reasonably have been expected. |
| She said: "The lack of duty of care to possible risks and consequences even I, as a lay person, could have foreseen, effectively created an obvious chain of events which could have led to further loss of life." | She said: "The lack of duty of care to possible risks and consequences even I, as a lay person, could have foreseen, effectively created an obvious chain of events which could have led to further loss of life." |