A CORONER hit out at the US Army for not providing more details about how a Mersey photographer was killed in Afghanistan.

Corporal Mike Gilyeat, of Ainsdale, died when the helicopter he was in went down like “a fireball” when it was shot at by the Taliban, an inquest heard yesterday.

Cpl Gilyeat was an official photographer for the British Army and was accompanying Dutch, Canadian and American troops on May 30, 2007, when the aircraft was hit by unknown weaponry.

The American military wrote two reports into the incident, but many of the details were retracted and it is unknown what actually hit the chopper.

It had been flying at between 300ft and 500ft and was more than 4,000m from its landing zone when it was hit.

Giving evidence, Wing Commander Robert Norris said he could not be certain whether it was a grenade, a surface-to-air missile, or a rifle which brought the aircraft down, but the inquest was told the Americans would probably know what the weapon was.

Cpl Gilyeat’s family endured the longest-ever wait, of almost 2½ years, for a British military inquest before yesterday’s hearing.

Wiltshire coroner David Masters said: “I have a very redacted copy [of the reports] and despite assistance, the US Army has not been forthcoming. If they were present, they would have filled in gaps. It has delayed the resumption of the inquest and I regret it.”

Between 70 and 90 enemy troops were killed during the effort to reach the struck aircraft, but all seven servicemen on board were dead.

Cpl Gilyeat was “very committed and enthusiastic” and was an “extremely gifted cameraman”, the court heard.

The coroner added: “He was also a very important member of the team.”

Mr Masters recorded a verdict of unlawful killing while on active service.