Relatives of those killed in the devastating 1994 RAF Chinook helicopter crash have described a meeting with government ministers as "constructive," but insist fundamental questions about the refusal to hold a public inquiry remain unresolved.
A Tragedy and a Long Quest for Answers
Twenty-nine people lost their lives when the helicopter crashed on the Mull of Kintyre on 2 June 1994. The aircraft was travelling from RAF Aldergrove in Northern Ireland to Fort George near Inverness. Among the dead were twenty-five intelligence experts and four special forces crew members.
The initial finding of pilot error was officially overturned in 2011, fuelling decades of campaigning by bereaved families. They are now demanding a full, judge-led public inquiry and the release of all related files, some of which have been sealed for a century.
Ministers Listen, But Campaigners Seek Action
Representatives of the Chinook Justice Campaign met with defence ministers Lord Vernon Coaker and Al Carns, alongside veterans minister Louise Sandher-Jones, in London on Tuesday 16 December 2025. They presented a detailed briefing pack of evidence to support their case.
Andy Tobias, who was eight when his father Lieutenant Colonel John Tobias died, said the ministers listened seriously. "We now have a commitment that they will review all of this material in detail, which is welcome," he stated.
However, Mr Tobias expressed deep concern, suggesting some evidence appeared new to the ministers. "If that is the case, it raises a serious question: what evidence was actually reviewed when our request for a public inquiry was rejected?" he asked.
Unwavering Demand for Prime Ministerial Intervention
The families have vowed to take legal action after the Prime Minister previously rejected calls for an inquiry. A petition launched by the campaign has garnered over 52,000 signatures, and a letter was delivered to Downing Street in October.
Susan Phoenix, whose husband Ian was killed, reiterated the call for the Prime Minister to personally examine the evidence. "If the evidence we presented today has not previously been reviewed, then we believe the Prime Minister must look at this personally and reconsider the decision," she said.
Alliance MP Sorcha Eastwood, representing cross-party colleagues at the meeting, urged the government to treat this as a test case for its commitment to a "duty of candour."
Government Response and Continued Grief
The Ministry of Defence has historically pointed to the six previous inquiries and investigations into the accident, including an independent review. Following the meeting, Lord Coaker acknowledged the ongoing agony of the families.
"I recognise the agony of those who lost loved ones and understand that the lack of certainty about the causes of the crash has added to their distress," he said. "We have committed to continued engagement with the Chinook Justice Campaign."
While the meeting marks a step in dialogue, the central demand for a transparent, judge-led public inquiry into one of the UK's worst peacetime military disasters continues to define the families' three-decade fight for clarity.
