RAF Chinook crash victims’ families ask Andy Burnham for review of disaster | Military
Families of those killed in the 1994 RAF Chinook crash have called on Andy Burnham to end Britain’s “culture of cover-up” and order an independent investigation into the disaster.
29 military personnel died when a Chinook HC2 helicopter crashed on the Mull of Kintyre in southwestern Scotland during a flight from Northern Ireland.
The two pilots were initially blamed for the crash, but were cleared in 2011 after an investigation that left the cause of the crash undetermined.
Former Conservative defense secretary Liam Fox, who ordered the official review, said last month there were “deep concerns” that “vital information” might have been withheld.
Supporting calls for a new independent review, Fox said there was now a “strong enough belief” there was a deliberate cover-up. He said there were concerns that details provided by the Ministry of Defense (MoD) regarding the airworthiness of the crashed Chinook were “not accurate”.
A Supreme Court judge ruled this month that families of several of the crash victims could not bring a legal case against the Ministry of Defense over the incident because the case was filed too late.
Chinook Justice Campaign (CJC), which consists of more than 55 family members of 25 of the victims, said it would take the case to the European Court of Human Rights.
But Matt Tobias, whose father, Lieutenant Colonel John Tobias, died in the crash, said the families “don’t want years of litigation” and called on the prime minister to help by ordering a new independent review.
He said: “We invite Mr Burnham to meet us within his first 100 days in office so we can present the evidence that has emerged in recent years and explain why we believe a new review, independent of the Ministry of Defence, is now necessary.
“Mr Burnham’s speech in the House of Commons, in which he talked about ending Britain’s culture of cover-up and strengthening the duty of honesty, gave our families real hope.”
In a letter to Burnham, the Chinook families said it could be a “test case” for the new Hillsborough law, which was unanimously backed by MPs this month and creates a legally enforceable duty of candour, compelling public servants and authorities to act transparently during investigations.
Tobias said: “We want him and his ministers to show more respect for Chinook families than we got from his predecessor, who refused to hold meetings and inquiries and instead believed the MoD’s lies. After 32 years, we don’t want special treatment. We just want the truth.”
The CJC group said Burnham wanted the Ministry of Defense to establish a new review, independent of the Ministry of Defence, with full access to all relevant documents on the airworthiness of the Chinook helicopter and the circumstances leading up to the crash.
An MoD spokesman said: “Our thoughts and sympathies are with the families, friends and colleagues of those killed in the Mull of Kintyre crash.
“We understand that the latest court decision will be disappointing to those concerned. Defense Ministers have previously met with the CJC and we will continue to engage to listen to concerns and discuss this important issue.”
