Independent Public Advocate pays respects at Chinook memorial in Thiepval Barracks
The IPA, Cindy Butts, visited Thiepval Barracks in Lisburn last weekend to stand alongside families at a private commemoration marking 32 years since the Chinook helicopter crash.
The event honoured the 29 people who lost their lives on 2 June 1994, when RAF Chinook ZD576 crashed on the Mull of Kintyre. Among those killed were 25 of the UK’s most senior intelligence experts and four Special Forces crew.
Set within the peaceful surroundings of the memorial garden at Thiepval Barracks, the commemoration provided a space for reflection, remembrance and tribute. Each of the 29 victims is recognised within the garden, which has been created as a lasting place of remembrance for families.
Cindy attended the event alongside bereaved families, who continue to seek clarity, accountability and a full understanding of what happened on that day.
For far too long, these families have carried the burden of seeking answers – often at great personal cost – becoming investigators and campaigners in the absence of clear accountability.
Thirty-two years on, they are still waiting for the truth. I stand with them in calling for a fully independent public inquiry.
An initial finding that blamed pilot error was overturned in 2011, while a Scottish fatal accident inquiry concluded it was impossible to establish the precise cause of the crash.
Families and campaigners have continued to raise concerns about the airworthiness of the aircraft, the decision-making behind the flight, and the withholding of key information – with many documents sealed by the Ministry of Defence until 2094.
This week, former Defence Secretary Sir Liam Fox said that evidence that has emerged since the Mull of Kintyre Review raises “deep concerns” that vital information may have been withheld from ministers and Parliament, including questions about the aircraft’s airworthiness. On the 32nd anniversary, he joined families in delivering a letter to Downing Street calling for a new public inquiry.
Campaigners have identified more than 100 unanswered questions, including who authorised the mission, why that aircraft was selected and whether those on board were warned of potential risks.
The IPA stands in support of their calls for an independent inquiry and recognises the extraordinary determination shown by families in their continued pursuit of truth and justice.