EXCLUSIVE: 29 folks had been killed when the Chinook helicopter crashed on the Mull of Kintyre, close to Inverness, in June 1994.
The households have accused the MOD of speaking about them to not them (Picture: Lucy North/PA Wire)
Livid households of the 29 service personnel killed within the RAF Chinook crash on the Mull of Kintyre have accused Keir Starmer and the Ministry of Defence of ‘dismissive, dishonest and deceitful’ remedy.
The households of these killed have written to the Prime Minister after feedback made by ministers, which they are saying contradict guarantees made to them final yr. Within the letter despatched to Downing Road right this moment, they write: “After 31 years, Ministers met with us final December. They appeared us within the eye, acknowledged the service of our family members, and warranted us that the proof we offered could be correctly thought-about. These assurances now ring hole.”
Households need solutions about why the plane was allowed to fly, regardless of security issues (Picture: -)
It comes after the Ministry of Defence issued a press release to the media claiming that “there has not been proof offered which might shed vital new gentle on the reason for the crash”.
Households say the assertion to the Yorkshire Put up, issued with out warning, represents a “slap within the face” to them as victims of the catastrophe, and is the precise reverse of the “ongoing dialogue” they had been promised.
The assertion was additionally issued lower than 48 hours after households met the victims minister to lift formal issues concerning the Ministry of Defence’s continued use of what they describe as deceptive and distressing language.
Twenty-five intelligence specialists and 4 particular forces crew had been killed when the Chinook helicopter crashed on the Mull of Kintyre, en route from RAF Aldergrove in Northern Eire to Fort George close to Inverness, in June 1994.
The incident was initially blamed on pilot error earlier than this was overturned in 2011. The households have lengthy known as for a public inquiry into the incident, following the uncovering of quite a few security issues within the weeks and months earlier than the flight.
Jenni Balmer-Hornby, whose father Anthony was a kind of killed, stated: “You’ve got to be kidding us. We sat down with three Defence Ministers for the primary time in 31 years and had been promised that our proof could be correctly reviewed and that there could be ongoing dialogue.
Jenni Balmer-Hornby was a baby when her father was killed within the catastrophe (Picture: -)
“As a substitute, we get a press release to the media, to not us, repeating the very language we had simply formally complained about. It’s worryingly dismissive of us as victims, is deceitful and dishonest, it’s a slap within the face for all of us and exhibits an entire lack of respect.
“To concern that assertion inside 48 hours of our assembly with the victims minister is not only disappointing, it’s unfair, unacceptable and unfathomable.”
The households argue that whereas ministers are advancing laws designed to forestall institutional cover-ups, the continued dealing with of the Chinook case suggests these ideas aren’t being utilized in observe.
They’re now calling on the Prime Minister to intervene straight to make sure that their proof is correctly thought-about and that significant dialogue takes place.
Susan Phoenix, whose husband Ian was killed, added: “Ministers know full effectively this isn’t about the reason for the crash. We’ve stated that repeatedly. That is concerning the circumstances, the selections that had been taken, and why our family members had been allowed to board an plane we now have proof was not airworthy.
“To proceed to misrepresent our place on this method feels deliberate and deeply disrespectful.”
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An RAF spokesperson stated: “The Chinook Justice Marketing campaign have submitted a proper declare to the MOD for a Judicial Overview of our resolution to reject the demand for a judge-led inquiry into the circumstances of the crash.
“This course of is ongoing and our focus is on responding to that declare and to the allegations contained inside it. We’re unable to remark additional presently.”
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