Chinook crash families boosted following meeting with ministers
The Chinook Justice Campaign say the meeting was constructive
The families of those killed in the 1994 RAF Chinook crash on the Mull of Kintyre have said a long-awaited meeting with defence ministers was “constructive and serious” and say ministers appear “surprised” by evidence presented to them.
Representatives of the Chinook Justice Campaign met junior defence ministers and the victims’ minister today to present their case and to set out details of the lack of airworthiness on the helicopter which crashed, killing 25 senior intelligence experts and four Special Forces crew.
The helicopter and crew involved were on detachment from their base at RAF Odiham near Basingstoke.
The families are seeking a judge-led public inquiry into the disaster and for all the files – some of which have been sealed for 100 years – to be released.
Family representatives say ministers listened carefully as they were taken through the leaked evidence and facts underpinning the case - and have welcomed a clear commitment from the government to review the evidence in full.
Andy Tobias, whose father John was killed, said: “The meeting was constructive. Ministers listened to us, engaged seriously, and we took them through our briefing pack and the evidence we hold.
“We now have a commitment that they will review all of this material in detail, which is welcome.”
Ministers also committed to ongoing engagement with the families, and indicated that a further meeting would take place following their review of the evidence. While no date was set, campaigners were told it would not be delayed for months.
However, the families say the discussion raised troubling questions about previous decision-making — particularly the government’s rejection, just months ago, of calls for a public inquiry on the basis that all evidence had already been reviewed.
“The strong impression we came away with was that some of the evidence we presented was new to them,” Tobias said.
“If that is the case, it raises a serious question: what evidence was actually reviewed when our request for a public inquiry was rejected?”
During the meeting, campaigners again explained the fundamental issue at the heart of the case — that Chinook ZD576 was not airworthy, and that this status was withheld from the crew and passengers.
Ministers asked detailed questions, including why two alternative Puma aircraft were not used for the flight to Fort George, reinforcing the families’ view that unresolved operational and safety questions remain.
The families have once again renewed their call for a meeting with the Prime Minister, arguing that only he can now resolve the matter by overturning the MoD’s decision not to hold a public inquiry.
Susan Phoenix, whose husband Ian was killed, said: “We welcomed the opportunity to meet ministers today, but we have repeatedly asked to meet the Prime Minister, and we continue to do so.
“If the evidence we presented today has not previously been reviewed, then we believe the Prime Minister must look at this personally and reconsider the decision to deny us a public inquiry.”
Mark Stephens, from Howard Kennedy LLP, lawyer for the families, said: “While we welcome this constructive meeting, we still have no commitment for a judge-led public inquiry which is why the families must continue to seek a Judicial Review into that decision.
“Ministers can still choose to do the right thing, avoid dragging the families through the courts, to release all the files and order a public inquiry into the 1994 crash – otherwise we will have to force them to do so.”