Lawyer joins calls for sealed Chinook crash documents to be released

North Wales Chronicle

5 days ago

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.'