Conclusions of the inquiry into the loss of RAF Hercules XV179 in Iraq published
8th December 2005
The Board of Inquiry into the crash of RAF Hercules XV179 in Iraq on 30 January 2005, in which ten UK Service personnel died, is complete and the conclusions have been announced to Parliament by the Secretary of State for Defence.

The Board has determined that the aircraft crashed as a result of hostile ground-to-air fire which caused an explosion in the right hand wing fuel tank. This explosion caused the outboard section of the wing to separate from the rest of the wing at which point the aircraft immediately became uncontrollable.

Despite the brave efforts of the experienced crew to counter this unexpected and catastrophic event, the aircraft crashed with the tragic loss of ten lives; the crash was not survivable.

The Board found that the aircraft was flying on a routine mission at low level in a hostile operational environment in Iraq and the crew did all they could in planning the mission to minimise the risks of attack.

In an oral statement to Parliament, on 8 December 2005, John Reid, the Secretary of State for Defence said: "May I first pay tribute to the ten Service personnel who lost their lives aboard the Hercules; I am immensely proud of our all Armed Forces and the work they undertake on our behalf. We must not forget the families and friends. The Ministry of Defence, the Royal Air Force and RAF Lyneham in particular will continue to provide them with support whilst they continue to come to terms with this tragedy.

"The Board has made a number of recommendations which we will study closely. We have acted on some already. While we have to accept that any deployment of UK troops involves a degree of risk, the security of British Service men and women deployed to Iraq and elsewhere is our highest priority.

"Our forces have made a significant contribution to creating the right conditions for wider peace and stability in Iraq. They have done, and continue to do, an excellent job in difficult conditions and we must never forget or under-estimate the courage and professionalism of our Service personnel in carrying out the tasks required of them."

A Board of Inquiry is an internal military inquiry designed to establish the facts behind an incident, and produce recommendations to try to ensure it does not happen again. The Board identified that whilst the aircraft crashed as a result of hostile ground-to-air fire there were three contributory factors and it made a number of safety recommendations to help to reduce the chances of a similar recurrence in the future. The MOD has already taken steps to address these concerns. The Board’s concerns and the MOD’s response are as follows:

The tactics of flying at low altitude in daylight over hostile territory reduced exposure to some threats but made the Hercules more vulnerable to certain types of hostile ground-to-air fire. The advice to aircrew on the balance to be struck between these considerations has been more sharply defined in the light of the lessons identified following the downing of XV179.

The lack of a fuel tank fire inerting system may have contributed to the loss of the aircraft. However, their effectiveness against hostile action and subsequent catastrophic fire cannot be guaranteed. We are now exploring the procurement and fitting of a suitable fire inerting system as a matter of urgency.

Some gaps were found in the process of collection and dissemination of Ground to Air threat intelligence. New processes have been established to ensure these gaps are closed.

Air Chief Marshal Sir Jock Stirrup, Chief of the Air Staff and professional head of the Royal Air Force said: "Ever since that tragic day in January, the families and friends of our lost comrades have been foremost in our thoughts. They have waited long and patiently to learn what happened to their loved ones, and the Board of Inquiry has now offered them answers. Such investigations inevitably take time; they involve a great deal of meticulous and painstaking work. And they are even more difficult when undertaken in an operational theatre. But the Inquiry has now given us a good understanding of what happened to the crew and passengers of XV179.

"It is clear that the aircraft was shot down by hostile fire. The crew did all that they should, and all that we would expect of such brave and professional airmen. But they faced a combination of circumstances that, alas, no one could overcome. This is a stark reminder, to any who might need it, of the difficulties and dangers that our air transport crews face. Their work often goes unnoticed – although not by their military colleagues – but without them we simply could not conduct our operations effectively. From humanitarian relief – as in Pakistan – to the rigours of operational theatres like Iraq, their skill, determination and courage underpin all that we do. I salute the crew and the other brave men that we lost on 30 January.

"The Board of Inquiry has made a number of recommendations aimed at keeping our operations as effective and safe as they can be in an operational theatre. We shall of course pursue these vigorously. But we all recognise that we cannot eliminate risk in military operations. The deaths of our people on XV179 is a tragic reminder of this; we mourn them, and our hearts go out to their families and loved ones."

The MOD continues to support the families of the crew who were fully briefed by the Inquiry President, to give them the opportunity to consider and understand the findings of the Report in advance of the public announcement.

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