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The Secretary of State for Defence, Bob Ainsworth, has today presented to Parliament the independent review by Mr Charles Haddon-Cave QC into the loss of Nimrod MR2 XV230 on 2 September 2006, in which 14 service personnel lost their lives.

Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth said:

“My thoughts and condolences remain at this difficult time with the families of the 14 service personnel who tragically lost their lives in this incident. On behalf of the MoD and the RAF I again apologise to all those involved for the mistakes that were made.

“I am grateful for the rigorous review that Mr Haddon-Cave QC and his team have undertaken. He has identified key areas where we have failed in our duty, and he has made a number of recommendations which we will consider as a matter of high priority. We will examine all aspects of the report closely before we issue a full response. We begin this immediately but it is vital to do this thoroughly in order to ensure our actions are appropriate and robust.

“Mr Haddon-Cave has acknowledged that considerable work has been done since this tragic incident to increase the safety of Nimrod MR2, such as ceasing air-to-air refuelling and operating an enhanced systems inspection regime. Based on the steps we have taken, and the personal assurances of the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Dalton, I am certain the Nimrod remains safe to fly, and I am pleased Mr Haddon-Cave shares this view.

“However we are not complacent and I am very clear that the issues raised in this report stretch more widely across Defence. Safety issues and improving our learning from incidents have been given the highest priority in the MoD. We have looked carefully at our processes for assuring the airworthiness of our aircraft, and have appointed Air Marshall Kevin Leeson to a new post of Defence Chief Airworthiness Engineer to provide better assurance that our entire airworthiness process - from project teams to the front line - meets the highest standard.

“I wish to mirror Mr Haddon-Cave’s tribute to the Nimrod crews for their continual skill and professionalism. The Nimrod continues to have an essential role in the defence of the country and their crews have performed to the highest standard in difficult circumstances.”

The MoD intends to issue a full response to Mr Haddon-Cave’s report before the Christmas recess.

Notes to Editors:

1. On 2 Sep 06 14 military personnel lost their lives in the crash of Nimrod MR2 XV230 which was supporting operations in Afghanistan at the time.

2. The service personnel killed in this tragedy were:
Royal Air Force: Flight Lieutenant Al Squires; Flight Lieutenant Steve Swarbrick; Flight Lieutenant Steve Johnson; Flight Lieutenant Leigh Mitchelmore; Flight Lieutenant Gareth Nicholas; Flight Sergeant Ady Davies; Flight Sergeant Steve Beattie; Sergeant Ben Knight; Sergeant Gary Quilliam; Sergeant John Langton; Flight Sergeant Gary Andrews; Flight Sergeant Gerard Bell.
Army: Lance Corporal Oliver Dicketts.
Royal Marine: Marine Joseph Windall.

3. The Nimrod Review terms of reference were:

• to examine the arrangements for assuring the airworthiness and safe operation of the Nimrod MR2 in the period from its introduction in 1979 to the accident on 2 Sep 2006, including hazard analysis, the safety case completed in 2005, maintenance arrangements, and responses to any earlier incidents which might have highlighted the risk and led to corrective action;
• to assess where responsibility lies for any failures and what lessons are to be learned;
• to assess more broadly the process for completing safety cases, taking account of best practice in the civilian and military world; and
• to make recommendations to the Secretary of State as soon as practicable, if necessary by way of interim reports.

4. For further information, please contact Paul Leat in the MoD Press Office on 020 7218 3254.

Contacts:

Ministry of Defence
NDS.MOD@coi.gsi.gov.uk