The group has accused the MOD of “losing its moral compass” for summarily dismissing their demands for truth, transparency, a public inquiry and access to files to allow them to understand how their loved ones came to be on an aircraft that was not airworthy and had been grounded the day before the crash.
Leaked documents obtained by the families – and available on the Chinook Justice Campaign website – prove that the Boeing Mark 2 Chinook experienced “unpredictable malfunctions” as well as “shutdowns and surges in power”.
The Prime Minister said that the MOD had assured him that the sealed documents offer “no insights” into the cause of the crash and that they have been sealed to protect data, a claim the families have repeatedly dismissed as “nonsense.”
He said his Government was “committed to transparency and accountability”.
The Prime Minister added: “Given the extensive investigations already conducted into the crash, including two independent, judge-led processes, inquiries by both House of Commons and House of Lords select committees, and the original RAF board of inquiry, I do not believe that a new inquiry can bring any greater certainty or is in the public interest.”
Andy Tobias, who was eight when his father, Lt Col John Tobias, 41, was killed in the crash, labelled the Prime Minister’s letter as “utterly pathetic”.
He said: “He says the Government is committed to transparency and accountability, but on the other hand, we’ll just seal away the files for a century and tell us bereaved families there’s nothing to see here.”
The families have this week praised the decision by the BBC to re-air a documentary on the disaster.
Dr Susan Phoenix’s husband, Ian, a detective superintendent in the RUC, was among those killed. She has sought the truth for more than 30 years and is one of those interviewed on the programme.
Dr Phoenix, 76, who lives in Portland, Dorset, said: “It was solely down to this excellent two-part BBC documentary by Fine Point Films that brought all of the Chinook Justice families together to fight for truth, transparency and justice.
“Why would files on this horrific crash be sealed for 100 years without there being something to hide, not just from the widows of those on board, but from their children, and grandchildren.
“There is something rotten at the heart of the MoD that continues, having put 29 people on an aircraft that was not airworthy, to insult and patronise us all, just as it dishonours our loved ones. We are determined to find out the truth, and we believe the British public wants that too.”
The first episode of ‘Chinook Zulu Delta 576’ is due to be broadcast on Sunday August 17th on BBC2 at 9pm, with the second part transmitted on Sunday August 24th at 9pm. The programme will also be available on BBC iPlayer.
