RAF men died because Afghan troops were on helipad playing football
‘It began pitching and rolling’
Two RAF servicemen killed in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan were unable to land on their base’s helipad because local soldiers were playing football there, an inquest heard.
Flight Lieutenants Geraint Roberts and Alan Scott suffered fatal injuries in the accident, which also claimed the lives of civilian contractor Gordon Emin and two American crew.
Five others survived. An inquest opening into the deaths yesterday heard how the £18million Puma aircraft lost control after it pulled away from the helipad and became entangled in a cable attached to a surveillance balloon.
The helipad at Nato’s mission headquarters in Kabul also doubles up as a football pitch to boost relations with Afghan soldiers.
A Defence Safety Authority report into the crash on october 11, 2015, revealed that the site should have been cleared five minutes before the disaster but instead ‘around 40 people’ were on it.
Flight Lieutenant Karim Zid, who was in helicopter Puma 1 flying in formation with Puma 2, told oxford Coroner’s Court how both aircraft were forced to abort their landings at the last minute. ‘ we were about 500 metres away and we could see about 20 people on the pitch in what appeared to be in football shirts and playing football
‘once we saw the guys on the pitch we pulled up,’ he said.
Sergeant Simon Craig, who was flying in Puma 1 – the lead aircraft in the formation – had expected the players to move.
He said: ‘They did not move so we overshot. I saw Puma 2 depart and fly directly over the field.
‘At the time all I could see was they were no longer on a normal flight regime. Puma 2 began pitching and rolling and it was clear something had gone wrong. we heard the mayday call from Puma 2 and it was clear it had hit the ground.’
Sgt Craig said the crews had been told about the balloon at the camp, but stressed that the cable it was attached to was ‘difficult to see’. He said he did not see the other helicopter strike the tether, but heard ‘throttles’ sounded over the radio. Flt Lt Zid said the cable, which is marked with tether flags, was an added obstruction for pilots.
‘The only time I’ve ever encountered that is in Kabul … It wasn’t ideal having a balloon and tether so close,’ he said.
The inquest heard that pilots landing at the base were also expected to avoid the nearby Afghan presidential palace for ‘political reasons’ and a high rise building directly opposite. A pathologist told the court that Flt Lt Roberts, 44, and Flt Lt Scott, 32, would have been rendered ‘deeply unconscious’ on impact and both died from head injuries. Dr Nicholas Hunt said their injuries were so catastrophic that nothing could have been done to save them. Security contractor Mr Emin, 44, a French national who grew up in Reading, died from a spinal fracture. Both officers were members of the Puma helicopter force based at RAF Benson in oxfordshire.
An unnamed American civilian on board with the men said in a statement that the only warning of the impending disaster was a ‘loud pop’. Seconds later the aircraft ‘jerked and dropped’, landing on its right side.
He said: ‘Very soon after the crash the cabin began to fill with smoke and fumes.’
Sgt Craig said he had never heard anyone cast doubt on the flying abilities of father of two Flt Lt Roberts, of north wales, or Flt Lt Scott, of London.
The inquest heard that the landing site at the Kabul base is still doubling up as a football pitch while the balloon and cable remain in the same location.
However, new safety measures are now said to be in place, including a ‘flow system’ and a qualified air traffic controller.
The inquest, expected to run until Thursday, continues.