Brother reacts to reports Chinook crash pilots 'to be cleared' 11.07.11
7The brother of an RAF pilot, killed in a Chinook crash in Scotland seventeen years ago, says there's never been any evidence he was to blame. His comments come after reports at the weekend that an official review of the crash will clear pilots Flight Lieutenant Richard Cook and Flight Lieutenant Jonathan Tapper of all blame. Flt Lt Cook's brother Chris said the campaign was not about compensation or politics but justice. He said: "It has been 16 years since we were advised of the board of inquiry report and Air Marshal's findings and from the outset we saw obviously quite a shocking finding but what we could not find in the reports was any evidence to support it and that is basically why we had to do something to correct what we think has been an injustice." The crash in 1984 on the Mull of Kintyre left 25 passengers -- many of them senior intelligence experts -- and four crew dead. RAF investigations blamed the pilots but the results of a new review will be announced by the Defence Secretary Liam Fox on Wednesday. In a statement released at the weekend the Ministry of Defence said: "The Defence Secretary asked Lord Philip to conduct a review of the evidence considered by the Board of Inquiry into the Mull of Kintyre Chinook accident. "An announcement on the report's findings is due to be made to Parliament shortly. Until that time it would be inappropriate to comment." If it does overturn the charge of negligence against the pilots their families could be entitled to compensation.