Crash Report due to be Released Today
The findings of the Hercules Tragedy Official MoD Report in which eight Lyneham based airman and two passengers perished will be released today.

Hilton 22, the call sign of the Hercules transport aircraft, XV179 crashed on the evening of 30th January 2005 and filled the community with grief and shock as relatives, friends and local people had tried to come to terms with the fatal incident.

The man in charge of RAF Lyneham gave a cautious welcome to an interim report, published in March 2005, into the cause of January's Hercules tragedy in Iraq.

Station commander Paul Oborn said the base found the initial findings reassuring, especially the news that the crash was not caused by aircrew error.

Investigators said the C130 had not been sabotaged, but did not rule out the possibility it was shot down. It eliminated ten potential causes ­ bird strike, lightening strike, mid-air collision, controlled flight into the ground, wire/obstacle strike, restriction in the aircraft's flying controls, cargo explosion, engine fire, sabotage and aircraft fatigue.

The RAF Board of Inquiry will finally publish what they believe caused the crash. Nine airmen and one soldier were killed in the incident, which was the biggest single loss of British life in Iraq since the war began.

RAF Lyneham station commander Group Captain Paul Oborn, who has been inspirational in his leadership qualities, helping his base personnel deal with the tragic incident, coincidentally hands over the realm as station boss this month following an eventful two year tour on the Wiltshire base. He spoke earlier in the year when the interim report was released " I am particularly pleased the findings exonerated his men of blame. For the families and for us it would not have been a pleasant result if it had been a controlled flight into the ground," he said.

"We now know there were no mistakes by the aircrew. The fact that it was not wing fatigue is also welcome. There was a lot of press speculation that it could have been fatigue, which was worrying for the many of us who still fly the C130K. That was reassuring. The report lays down ten things that it discounts, but opens up speculation on what it could have been."

Gp Capt Paul Oborn spoke to webmaster Andy Humm a few weeks ago, saying "Leaving Lyneham at the end of the year brings me great sadness, I have taken great pride in being station commander, something I relish. It is an extremely busy station and everyone plays an immense part in making Lyneham, what Lyneham is best known for, being the best station in the Royal Air Force"

When the report has been officially published at noon, we will endeavour to get the latest reactions from the community. Our thoughts and condolences are still very much with the families and friends of the fallen heroes.

We have proudly collated a global perspective of the feelings, reports and opinions following this tragic loss of Hercules XV179, from local, national and international media which can be found here..