Leader: Welcome closure on Chinook tragedy

AFTER a campaign lasting almost two decades, two RAF pilots have been exonerated from blame for the 1994 Chinook helicopter crash on the Mull of Kintyre.

Yesterday, Defence Secretary Liam Fox apologised to the families. Since the initial inquiry's findings by two RAF air marshalls, controversy has raged over technical problems experienced by the Chinook helicopter and whether the two pilots - Flt Lts Jonathan Tapper and Richard Cook - could be blamed for the crash in which 29 people died. Now a fresh review has found in their favour and the earlier ruling has been set aside.

The initial RAF inquiry found that the most probable cause was the selection of the wrong rate of climb and that the pilots were "negligent to a gross degree". But a Scottish fatal accident inquiry concluded it was impossible to establish the exact cause of the crash. The RAF inquiry also came in for criticism in House of Commons and House of Lords committee reports. Now a review of the evidence by retired judge Lord Philip spent nine months reviewing the accident and has concluded that because of the lack of evidence it was impossible to find that the pilots had been negligent to any degree. His review also recommended that the Ministry of Defence should reconsider its policy and procedures for the transport of personnel whose responsibilities are vital to national security.

It remains a mystery to this day what in fact did cause the crash. But hopefully this review will now draw a line and allow the families some closure over this painful tragedy.