Nimrods are ‘safe to fly’ claim MoD

May 26 2008 by Liza Williams, Liverpool Daily Post

A Nimrod landing at RAF Kinloss similar to the one that crashed in Afghanistan (320)

THE Ministry of Defence last night repeated assurances the UK’s Nimrod fleet was safe to fly, after further fears were voiced over its safety.

The details about fuel system safety recommendations come in the wake of a coroner’s ruling the entire RAF fleet of Nimrod aircraft has never been airworthy and should be grounded.

Andrew Walker’s verdict last week followed an inquest into the deaths of 14 servicemen – including three Merseysiders – Sgt John Langton, 29, of Grassendale, Flt Lt Steven Swarbrick, 28, of Formby, and Flt Lt Allan Squires, 39, of Clatterbridge.

The men, based at RAF Kinloss, lost their lives when the plane exploded in mid-air just minutes after undergoing air-to-air refuelling in Afghanistan in September 2006.

SNP defence spokesman Angus Robertson MP last night said a letter he received from Defence Secretary Des Browne had revealed a number of safety recommendations related to the aircraft’s fuel system had yet to be implemented.

But the MoD has said new air-to-air refuelling procedures meant the aircraft was now “safe to fly”.

Mr Robertson asked Mr Browne how many of 30 recommendations made in a Nimrod Fuel System Safety Review of October, 2007, had been complied with.

In a letter to the SNP politician, Mr Browne replied: “Twenty-one have been accepted and are being implemented; three are being considered for implementation and a further six are on hold as they relate to air-to-air refuelling.”