Lawyer for pilot calls for transparency over 1994 Chinook crash

Professor Peter Watson, legal representative for the late RAF pilot Flight Lieutenant Richard Cook who died in the 1994 Chinook crash, today issued a strong statement backing the families of all those who lost their lives in the tragedy.

The crash on 2 June 1994 claimed the lives of 29 individuals, including 25 senior intelligence and security personnel, and quickly became mired in controversy due to allegations of pilot error. Following 17 years of campaigning and an independent review, the accusations against the two pilots—Flight Lieutenants Richard Cook and Jonathan Tapper—were formally overturned in 2011. The UK Government acknowledged that there was “no justification” for the original findings of gross negligence. Despite this exoneration, key documents related to the incident remain sealed under a 100-year restriction imposed by the Ministry of Defence.

This week, the families of those who died launched a renewed public campaign, including an open letter to the UK Government, demanding the release of the documents and a full public inquiry. They argue that after three decades, continued secrecy only serves to undermine trust and prevent accountability.

Professor Watson, solicitor advocate at PBW Law, joins their call and urges the Government to act swiftly in the interests of truth and justice.

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, lost in one of the most tragic peacetime events in RAF history. The fact their loved ones are still fighting for the truth three decades later is a national disgrace.

“The decision to seal vital documents for a century – until 2094 – is extraordinary and unjustified. What possible reason can there be for shielding the facts from public scrutiny for so long, particularly after the pilots were exonerated?

“The persistence of secrecy only fuels mistrust and prolongs the suffering of grieving families. It is time for the Ministry of Defence and the UK Government to act with integrity and release these documents. The public, and most importantly the families, have a right to know the full truth.”

The two pilots—Flight Lieutenants Richard Cook and Jonathan Tapper—were highly trained United Kingdom Special Forces pilots. The entire crew had exemplary service records.

Prior to the crash, the Ministry of Defence’s own testing centre at Boscombe Down had raised serious concerns about the airworthiness of the Chinook Mk2 aircraft. The helicopter model had been declared “unfit to fly,” and those same concerns were reaffirmed on the day of the crash—2 June 1994—by the same assessors. Despite this, the helicopter was permitted to fly.

Many of the campaigners—now adults who lost parents in the crash and are speaking out publicly for the first time—believe there is an ongoing cover-up by the Ministry of Defence. They point to the unprecedented 100-year embargo on the files and continued obfuscation by both the Ministry of Defence and the UK Government as evidence of deliberate efforts to withhold the truth.

The campaign, which is backed by most of the 29 families who lost loved ones, formally submitted a request for a public inquiry in October 2024. Despite the Government’s stated commitments under the proposed Hillsborough Law and its Duty of Candour for public bodies, the request was rejected and ministers have refused even to meet the families.

Professor Watson joins families in calling on the Government to lift the restrictions and launch a full public inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the crash.