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Plane hit by patriot missile { March 23 2003 } Original Source Link: (May no longer be active)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/2877349.stmhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/2877349.stm
Last Updated: Sunday, 23 March, 2003, 09:20 GMT
RAF aircraft 'hit by US missile'
An RAF jet and its crew are missing, following reports that it was hit by a US Patriot missile close to the Kuwaiti border.
It is not yet known what type of aircraft was involved or how many crew were on board, although a search for survivors is underway.
The loss of the plane, which was returning from a mission over Iraq, comes after two helicopter crashes in the past three days led to the deaths of 19 coalition troops, including 14 Britons.
Three ITV news crew are missing and feared dead, after coming under what their injured colleague claims was "friendly fire".
Meanwhile, US-led forces have been encountering stiff pockets of resistance as they press on through Iraq, towards the Iraqi capital Baghdad.
'Investigation team'
After the RAF plane went missing, Group Captain Al Lockwood, chief spokesman for the British forces, said: "This is a tragedy and we are taking rapid steps to find out the reason and to ensure that there is no repetition."
A UK/US investigation team has been set up to find out exactly what happened, amid fears the incident could be a serious blow for morale.
"Obviously everybody is eager for explanations - we need to know," Captain Lockwood said.
"We need to...ensure things like this will never happen again".
Captain Lockwood said coalition forces had taken "enormous care" to ensure that so called 'blue on blue' incidents do not happen.
'This is war'
The loss of the aircraft was particularly hard, as it followed the deaths of the 14 British personnel in two helicopter crashes in the past few days, the spokesman said.
It had been a difficult start to the campaign "and not an ideal one for the UK".
Captain Lockwood said: "It's been tragic and there's been a great deal of sorrow for those concerned and their families and friends.
"But it's not training, this is war, this is the real thing.
"We're professional, we're highly capable and we'll get on and we'll finish this job."
Since the war started thousands of missions have been flown.
Helicopters
In the early hours of Saturday morning, two Royal Navy Sea King helicopters collided over the Gulf, with the loss of all seven crew members - six British and one American.
MoD Helpline Numbers
Royal Navy and Royal Marines - 08457 414544
Army personnel - 01980 615500
RAF personnel - 01452 712612 ext 7080 or 7045
And 24 hours earlier a US Chinook crashed over the Kuwaiti desert killing eight British and four American service personnel.
Baghdad has endured a fourth night of bombing on Saturday, but not on the scale witnessed on Friday night.
It is not known whether the missing plane was involved in the air strikes on the Iraqi capital.
RAF crews also fly support and cover missions.
US and Iraqi forces have clashed in the desert just 160 kilometres (100 miles) south of Baghdad.
And Iraqi pockets of resistance have remained in southern Iraq, with an exchange of fire in Umm Qasr.
UK Prime Minister Tony Blair has told a Sunday newspaper the military strategy is aimed at avoiding civilian casualties.
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/uk_news/2877349.stm
Published: 2003/03/23 09:20:16
© BBC MMIII
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