Investigation Into January 30th Mishap Continues

The crew of a Royal Air Force C-130 that went down January 30th, killing all ten on board, sent a distress signal before the mishap, according to a British investigator. That was eight minutes after the aircraft took off from Baghdad Airport -- and it was followed only by silence.

Wiltshire coroner David Masters said controllers made several attempts to raise the crew on the radio, but heard nothing back. Search teams were dispatched and, within an hour, they were able to locate the wreckage.

As ANN reported at the time, it was the single-worst loss of life suffered by British military forces since the invasion of Iraq two years ago.

Killed in the mishap, according to the BBC, were:

• Flt Lt David Stead, 35
• Flt Lt Andrew Smith, 25
• Flt Lt Paul Pardoel, 35
• Master Engineer Gary Nicholson, 42
• Chief Technician Richard Brown, 40
• Flt Sgt Mark Gibson, 34
• Sgt Robert O'Connor, 38
• Sqn Ldr Patrick Marshall, 39
• and Cpl David Williams, 37

The coroner's inquest got underway Tuesday in Trowbridge Magistrates' Court, near the victims' base, RAF Lyneham. No official cause has yet been established. Earlier media reports suggested a bomb had been planted on board the aircraft, but the RAF quickly ruled that out.

As ANN reported earlier this month, the Iraqi rebel group Ansar al-Islam distributed a videotape its members said showed the aircraft being shot down. British investigators have not yet ruled out the possibility that the aircraft was indeed downed by a missile, but wonder at what altitude the aircraft was flying before it issued its distress call.

FMI: www.raf.mod.uk