A leading solicitor advocate representing one of the RAF pilots wrongly blamed for the 1994 Chinook crash on the Mull of Kintyre has joined mounting calls for the release of sealed Government documents relating to the tragedy.
Professor Peter Watson of PBW Law, who represents the family of Flight Lieutenant Richard Cook, condemned the continued suppression of critical files linked to the crash as “extraordinary and unjustified”. The files, revealed in a BBC documentary to be sealed for 100 years, are not scheduled for release until 2094 — a decision now under intense public scrutiny.
RAF Chinook ZD576 crashed on 2 June 1994 in thick fog on the rugged west coast of Scotland, killing all 29 people on board, including 25 senior intelligence and security personnel and four crew members. It remains one of the worst peacetime losses in RAF history.
Flight Lieutenants Cook and Jonathan Tapper were initially found to have been grossly negligent by two senior reviewing officers, but the verdict sparked widespread criticism and was formally overturned in 2011, with the Government conceding there was “no justification” for the claim.
Speaking publicly, Professor Watson said: “The continued secrecy around these documents is indefensible after 30 years. The families deserve transparency and accountability. The men and women who died were dedicated public servants – military and civilian alike – and it is disgraceful that their loved ones are still fighting for the truth three decades on.”
He added: “The decision to seal vital documents until 2094 is not only extraordinary, but it defies natural justice. What possible reason can there be for hiding the facts from public scrutiny for such an extended period, especially after the pilots were exonerated?”
Watson’s remarks echo those of the Chinook Justice Campaign, a collective of bereaved families and supporters who continue to press for a public inquiry. The group argues that the sealed files may hold vital information about the true circumstances surrounding the crash – and that continued secrecy only serves to deepen their suffering.
In a recent open letter, the group described the “huge concern and upset” caused by the knowledge that answers may lie locked away for generations. “The papers will not be released until 2094, long after the spouses and children of those killed have themselves passed away,” it reads. “It is unbearable to us as bereaved families to know that this sealed information could give us the answers we need.”
Lord Philip’s 2011 review of the crash raised serious concerns about the state of the Chinook fleet at the time. MoD staff at the Boscombe Down testing facility had previously declared the helicopters “unfit to fly”, prompting renewed suspicion over the decision to send the aircraft on its fateful journey.
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Professor Watson emphasised that ongoing secrecy “fuels mistrust” and warned that the refusal to release the documents undermines public confidence in Government accountability. “It is time for the Ministry of Defence and the UK Government to act with integrity and release these documents,” he said. “The public, and most importantly the families, have a right to know the full truth.”
The campaign group’s request for a public inquiry was formally submitted in October but was rejected in December by Veterans Minister Alistair Carns. The group says further requests for meetings have gone unanswered.
In response, the Ministry of Defence stated that the sealed documents include sensitive personal data relating to third parties, and early release would breach data protection laws. A spokesperson added: “The Mull of Kintyre crash was a tragic accident and our thoughts and sympathies remain with the families, friends and colleagues of all those who died.”
Despite this, pressure is growing on the Government to reconsider its stance, with public calls for transparency, justice, and closure for families who have waited three decades for answers.
