Lawyer joins calls for sealed Chinook crash documents to be released
RAF Chinook ZD576 crashed in foggy weather on the Mull of Kintyre on June 2 1994 while carrying 25 British intelligence personnel from RAF Aldergrove in Northern Ireland to Fort George near Inverness.
The crash killed all 25 passengers along with all four members of the helicopter's crew in what remains one of the RAF's worst peacetime losses of life.
Following the crash, the helicopter's dead pilots, flight lieutenants Richard Cook and Jonathan Tapper, were accused of gross negligence, but this was overturned in 2011, with the Government saying there was 'no justification' for it.
A number of investigations into the incident have been carried out, including a review by Lord Philips, but last year a BBC documentary revealed a number of documents linked to the crash have been sealed for 100 years.
The legal representative for Flight Lieutenant Cook has now joined bereaved families in calling for those documents to be made public and for the truth about what happened to RAF Chinook ZD576 to be revealed.
Professor Peter Watson, solicitor advocate of PBW Law, said: 'The continued secrecy around these documents is indefensible after 30 years. The families deserve transparency and accountability.
'The men and women who died were dedicated public servants, military and civilian alike, lost in one of the most tragic peacetime events in RAF history.
'The fact their loved ones are still fighting for the truth three decades later is a national disgrace.
'The decision to seal vital documents for a century – until 2094 – is extraordinary and unjustified. What possible reason can there be for shielding the facts from public scrutiny for so long, particularly after the pilots were exonerated?
'The persistence of secrecy only fuels mistrust and prolongs the suffering of grieving families. It is time for the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and the UK Government to act with integrity and release these documents.
'The public, and most importantly the families, have a right to know the full truth.'
Lord Philip's review set out numerous concerns raised by those who worked on the Chinooks, with staff at the MoD's testing centre at Boscombe Down in Wiltshire declaring the helicopters 'unfit to fly' prior to the crash.
Prof Watson's call comes after the Chinook Justice Campaign, which includes the families of those who died, issued an open letter renewing calls for a public inquiry and for the sealed documents to be released in full.
The group made a formal request for a public inquiry in October, but this was turned down by minister for veterans and people Alistair Carns in December.
The group added that the minister has not responded to further requests for a meeting.
The open letter also describes the 'huge concern and upset' experienced by the bereaved families as a result of the sealed documents.
'The papers will not be released until 2094, long after the spouses and children of those killed have themselves passed away,' it states.
'It is unbearable to us as bereaved families to know that this sealed information could give us the answers we need.'
The MoD said the closed records contain personal information relating to third parties, and that releasing them early would breach those individuals' data protection rights.
The ministry added that it was 'highly unlikely' a further review would identify any new evidence, or reach new conclusions on the basis of existing evidence.
A MoD spokesperson said: 'The Mull of Kintyre crash was a tragic accident and our thoughts and sympathies remain with the families, friends and colleagues of all those who died.'
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North Wales Chronicle
2 hours ago
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Richard Satchwell found guilty of wife's murder
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State pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster said she could not determine the exact cause of death because of the advanced state of decomposition. During Garda interviews, Satchwell said that on the morning of March 20 2017, he found his wife standing at the bottom of the stairs with a chisel in her hand, scraping at the plasterboard. He claimed that she came at him with the chisel, and he fell back on to the floor. He added that Mrs Satchwell tried to stab him multiple times with the chisel and that he grabbed her clothing and restrained her by putting the belt of the robe against her neck. Satchwell said that in a very short period of time, she went limp and fell into his arms. He then placed her body on the couch in the living room, before moving her to the chest freezer and then burying her under the stairs. It was more than six years before gardai discovered her body. Speaking outside court, Tina's cousin Sarah Howard said the family 'finally have justice' following the conviction of Satchwell. She said: 'During this trial Tina was portrayed in a way that is not true to who she was. 'Tina was our precious sister, cousin, auntie and daughter. Her presence in our life meant so much to us all. 'We, as a family, can never put into words the impact that her loss has had on all of us. 'Tina was a kind, loving, gentle soul who loved her animals like they loved her and that is the way we want her remembered. 'Today, as a family, we finally have justice for Tina.' Tina's half-sister Lorraine Howard thanked the judge and the prosecution team. 'Your hard work, professionalism shone through like the classy ladies you were. We will never be able to put into words how thankful we are for you. We want to sincerely thank the judge, the jury for their dedication,' Ms Howard said. 'We would like to thank all the witnesses who helped us reach this verdict today. I would like to personally thank Sarah Howard, Tina's niece, who came up to give evidence and her support two weeks postpartum from her beautiful baby girl. You did yourself and Tina proud. 'Thank you to Ann Marie Twomey and Dave Kelleher for putting the pieces together and finding Tina. 'We would like to thank John O'Connell, the victim support workers, for keeping our spirits high.' The court previously heard that the couple married in the UK when Mrs Satchwell turned 20 and later moved to Ireland and bought a house in Fermoy, Co Cork. The couple lived there for some time before selling the property and buying the house in Youghal in 2016. Mrs Satchwell was described in court as a 'very glamorous' lady who had a love for fashion and clothes. The court heard that she loved her two dogs, particularly her chihuahua, Ruby, and considered them her children. She was described as a petite lady, about 5ft 4in, who weighed about eight stone (50 kilograms). The trial heard that on March 24 2017, Satchwell went to the garda station in Fermoy, four days after his wife allegedly left their family home. He told police he had no concerns for her welfare and had no concerns she would self-harm. Satchwell said he believed she had left their family home because their relationship had deteriorated. He believed she was staying at a hotel and claimed she had taken 26,000 euro in cash from their savings, which they kept in the attic. He told police that on the morning she allegedly left the home, Mrs Satchwell had asked him to go to Aldi in Dungarvan to buy a number of items, including parrot food, and that he had left the house at 10am and returned in the early afternoon. When he returned to the house, Mrs Satchwell was not there but noticed her keys on the floor and her phone sitting on the counter. He formally reported his wife as missing in May 2017, and also told investigators that his wife was sometimes violent towards him but he had put up with it because he loved her. During their investigation, gardai found that Satchwell's computer had searches for quicklime shortly after his wife disappeared. In August 2021, Superintendent Ann marie Twomey was appointed senior investigating officer, and along with Detective Garda David Kelleher from Cobh Garda Station, she familiarised herself with the case. She identified new lines of inquiry and came to the conclusion that Tina has met her death by unlawful means and was not a living person. Investigators obtained a court search warrant and in October 2023, gardai arrested Satchwell for murder following the discovery of his wife's remains. During the trial, the jury heard that Sarah Howard, Tina's cousin, had been offered a chest freezer and free concert tickets. She said she thought the offer was 'very unusual' and refused both. Tina's half sister, Lorraine Howard described their marriage as odd, and said that Satchwell was possessive of Tina, and referred to her as his 'trophy wife'. She said that Satchwell portrayed his wife as being violent after she disappeared, and said he would show her every cut and scar on his body and blame Tina for it. In her closing speech, prosecution barrister Geradine Small said that Satchwell was 'shamelessly brazen' and the narrative he gave about how his wife died was implausible and had 'more holes than than a block of Swiss cheese'. She said that he displayed 'conniving actions, full of guile', and embarked on a 'web of deceit' after he buried his wife. The prosecution described Satchwell's narrative as implausible and self-serving, highlighting his failure to seek help after Tina's death.
