.Army knew about minefield that killed Afghanistan soldier
A soldier was killed and three others injured when their platoon entered a minefield in Afghanistan that was unmarked despite being identified as dangerous weeks earlier, an inquest heard today.
Corporal Mark Wright, 27, died after rescuing a colleague from the mined area in Helmand province in September 2006. Three other soldiers lost legs. Wright, from the 3rd Battalion the Parachute Regiment, was posthumously awarded the George Cross.
Platoon commander Captain Nicholas French told the inquest at Oxford that he submitted information about dangerous areas around the Kijaki hydroelectric dam, the protection of which has been the main objective of British forces in the province. Despite patrols being sent into the area, French said, the information was not placed on maps.
French told the inquest that a week after Wright's death he was sent back into the area with a platoon and the minefield was still not on the map. "I couldn't believe I was being sent there with information that I knew was incorrect and had been proved to be incorrect. I was given this map and I stated a number of times I thought it was incorrect," he said.
A military inquiry into Wright's death this year concluded he could have been saved if a helicopter with a winch had been available. The inquest will explore whether helicopter downdraft may have set off mines. An American helicopter rescued Wright and the six others after five hours but Wright died before reaching a hospital.
Wright's father, Bob, has disputed the Ministry of Defence's version of events and said he wanted to know the truth.
Speaking to the Sunday Telegraph, Wright said: "The MoD has one version of events but those soldiers who were present when my son died say something else happened. I know whom I trust and that's the soldiers who saw Mark die," he said.
It has emerged at the inquest that solicitors representing the families of Wright and the injured soldiers are agreeing a compensation package with the MoD outside formal legal proceedings.
A joint statement released today said: "MPH Solicitors and the MoD are pleased that a mechanism has been agreed under which settlement of the compensation claims arising from the incident in Kajaki, Afghanistan, will be achieved amicably.
"In doing so the parties have adopted a realistic approach which will negate the need for a potentially traumatic court hearing."
Guardian
Corporal Mark Wright, 27, died after rescuing a colleague from the mined area in Helmand province in September 2006. Three other soldiers lost legs. Wright, from the 3rd Battalion the Parachute Regiment, was posthumously awarded the George Cross.
Platoon commander Captain Nicholas French told the inquest at Oxford that he submitted information about dangerous areas around the Kijaki hydroelectric dam, the protection of which has been the main objective of British forces in the province. Despite patrols being sent into the area, French said, the information was not placed on maps.
French told the inquest that a week after Wright's death he was sent back into the area with a platoon and the minefield was still not on the map. "I couldn't believe I was being sent there with information that I knew was incorrect and had been proved to be incorrect. I was given this map and I stated a number of times I thought it was incorrect," he said.
A military inquiry into Wright's death this year concluded he could have been saved if a helicopter with a winch had been available. The inquest will explore whether helicopter downdraft may have set off mines. An American helicopter rescued Wright and the six others after five hours but Wright died before reaching a hospital.
Wright's father, Bob, has disputed the Ministry of Defence's version of events and said he wanted to know the truth.
Speaking to the Sunday Telegraph, Wright said: "The MoD has one version of events but those soldiers who were present when my son died say something else happened. I know whom I trust and that's the soldiers who saw Mark die," he said.
It has emerged at the inquest that solicitors representing the families of Wright and the injured soldiers are agreeing a compensation package with the MoD outside formal legal proceedings.
A joint statement released today said: "MPH Solicitors and the MoD are pleased that a mechanism has been agreed under which settlement of the compensation claims arising from the incident in Kajaki, Afghanistan, will be achieved amicably.
"In doing so the parties have adopted a realistic approach which will negate the need for a potentially traumatic court hearing."
Guardian
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