North East Hampshire MP James Arbuthnot is celebrating this week after hearing an independent review will take place into the negligence charge found against a pair of Chinook pilots killed in 1994.
On June 2 1994 Richard Cook and Jonathan Tapper died, along with all passengers and crew on the Mull of Kintyre and a controversial decision found them guilty. Mr Arbuthnot, as chairman of the Defence Select Committee, has welcomed calls for a review and hopes the families can now be given peace.
Sir Menzies Campbell spoke at the Queen’s Speech on Wednesday, May 26 to remind the House of the circumstances surrounding the crash. He said: “It was a terrible and tragic event. The two pilots were found to have been guilty of negligence. However it is forcefully argued by many people that the evidence failed to meet the very high standard necessary before such a finding could be made, under the Royal Air Force’s own regulations. I believe that an error was made.”
Speaking after the debate James commented: “I am very pleased that the new coalition government has lived up to the promise of the Conservatives in opposition that a review of this decision should take place.
For many years now, it has been abundantly clear that this is the only right and proper thing to do and we need both the review and its verdict to be delivered as quickly as possible.
“We cannot change the events of that fatal night and we cannot bring back those who lost their lives, but we can at least ensure that the blame for those terrible events is not laid at the feet of those who should not be allowed to rest in peace. Both the pilots and their families need justice.”
