What really happened that terrible day in June 1994?
Were all the passenger and crew assassinated?
Chinook ZD576
The wreckage of RAF Chinook ZD 576 in which 29 people died
Memorial to Passenger and Crew
PILOT: F/LT JONATHAN P.TAPPER.
PILOT: F/LT RICHARD D.COOK.
LOADMASTER: M/SGT GRAHAM W.FORBES.
LOADMASTER: SGT KEVIN A.HARDIE.
Passengers:
Asst Chief Constable: BRIAN FITZSIMONS.
Det Chief Superintendant: DESMOND CONROY.
Det Chief Superintendant: MAURICE NEILLY.
Det Superintendant: PHILLIP DAVIDSON.
Det Superintendant: ROBERT FOSTER.
Det Superintendant: BILLY GWILLIAM.
Det Superintendant: IAN PHOENIX .
Det Chief Inspector: DENIS BUNTING.
Det Inspector: STEPHEN DAVIDSON.
Det Inspector: KEVIN MAGEE.
Home Office CB-57: JOHN DEVERILL.
COLONEL: CHRISTOPHER BILES. OBE.
LT COLONEL: RICHARD GREGORY-SMITH.
LT COLONEL: JOHN TOBIAS.
LT COLONEL: GEORGE WILLIAMS.
MAJOR: CHRISTOPHER J.DOCHERTY.
MAJOR: ANTHONY HORNBY.
MAJOR: GARY SPARKS.
MAJOR: RICHARD ALLEN.
MAJOR: ROY PUGH.
ANNE JAMES.
MARTIN DALTON.
JOHN HAYNES.
MICHAEL MALTBY.
STEPHEN RICKARD.
Before going into the latest findings lets just recap on events reported in Part 3 which resulted in Gordon Bowden and I going to the Derby Police to report possible multiple murders/assassinations.
This is the timeline:
Thursday the 19th of May 2011 I received a communication via my web page that deeply upset me but at the same time confirmed what I had been told by Ms Tara Andrea Davison some months ago that the crash of Chinook ZD576 was an inside job.
That communication was as follows:
01 - Name = AB
02 - Email Address = Hidden to protect the informant
03 - Your Message = AB reports that the Mull of Kintyre Chinook accident was done by an assassination hit squad.
You are correct Peter, FADEC is just the smoke screen. The pathologist a “she” who carried out an examination of all the bodies reported at that time that they all died from extensive gunshot wounds.
Friday the 20thof May 2011 I received further communication and eventually got in touch with the person concerned for a full brief. Part of his email read as follows:
"We can authenticate this by either obtaining the coroners report, or getting a statement from the women coroner. The problem with this is that her life could be in danger. These are very very serious issues and allegations Peter. As with everything compartmentalisation is at play here. The coroner just did her job, it wouldn’t occur to her that this was an execution. We don’t do these things in Britain do we? Remember she was a woman, I do think that’s significant. She would be thinking Army - Northern Ireland – guns - helicopters- and so these things are quite normal to her." He again confirmed the following:
It was reported to me that the Coroner said “they all had gunshot wounds to the head”
I spent most of Friday going over everything and just putting my own mind at rest that this could be the true reason behind this terrible event. Later I again spoke with Gordon Bowden and we both decided that we would go to the police tomorrow Saturday 21st May 2011 to open up our previous file with this additional input (Incident No 620 07/10/2010).
Saturday 21st May 2011 we went to the Derby Police HQ at St Mary’s Wharf, Derby and eventually got to speak to a civilian who deals with front desk enquiries. He advised that no police officers were available to deal with this report. I explained that this information is vital as it now involves the possible murder of 29 people who died in the Chinook crash at the Mull of Kintyre and that a new inquiry is now underway.
The gentleman explained that no one was available as it was the weekend and suggested we come back on Monday to speak with Special Branch… We both insisted that this information be logged and forced him to issue a receipt.
Monday the 22nd May 2011 we went down to the Police HQ and asked for the detective concerned who just so happened to be at a meeting and the civil operative at the counter asked us to go home and await a call from him. Gordon and I insisted that someone should see us and that we would wait considering the nature of the information (possible murder). After one hour we again complained and eventually two detectives agreed to see us. Their initial mannerism was rather abrupt and to some degree sarcastic. We both went through the entire case and they told us that we must pass this on to the review committee who are dealing with the second inquiry and that our case is now closed as it was handed over to the MoD.
I explained that this was not the case because the police are now very much involved, if this information is correct, as it involves the murder of 29 people. I insisted that they log this information under the existing incident number and then I will file my report to the inquiry board. I also explained that we are filing this for our own safety....they appeared to be rather amused about our comment.
Later that day, armed with the information I had given to the police, I emailed the Mull of Kintyre Review Board and sent them all the communications I had exchange with my informant and the details I had given the police.....the communication was marked for the attention of:
Lord Philip, Rt Hon Malcolm Bruce MP, the Rt Hon the Lord Forsyth of Drumlean and the Rt Hon the Baroness Liddell of Coatdyke.
Tuesday the 22nd May 2011 I eventually got acknowledgement from Mr Alex Passa for and on behalf of the above committee.
Since this time I have been making contact with various people including the father of Flt Lt Tapper, Mr.Mike Tapper.
I found it very difficult and moving to talk to him and suggested that we could meet up......unfortunately we live some considerable distance apart and that was not possible. However, he did say to me that it was ok to discuss anything with him as it all happened a long time ago and he has now got over it.
We both talked our way through the accident and eventually I discussed my findings. He explained to me that he knows Alex Passa very well and that he would talk with him and get back to me......I explained that I had submitted two reports to date.
Later he left a message on my answer phone to say He didn't want to be further involved in this and that he will leave it in the hands of Alex Passa. I returned the call as I felt rather bad and he again repeated that he had spoken with Alex and that he was content that I should deal with him.
On Saturday 28th May 2011, I spent much time going over many aspects of the crash and gathering more information based on the information I had previously received and to now look at this tragedy from a totally different perspective. As the day unfolding some remarkable information came to light that again revealed that this was truly a cover up with false statements being made by a Northern Ireland politician and some other strange events both within Northern Ireland's Airspace, Scottish Airspace and at the scene of the accident.
First I would like to make note of the following exchange that took place between William Ross, former East Londonderry MP, and Mr. John Speller, MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Defence who put down a series of questions in 2001 as follows.
15 Feb 2001 : Column: 191W
Written Answers to Questions
Thursday 15 February 2001
Mr. William Ross: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Chinook helicopters were flown (a) into and (b) out of Northern Ireland on 2 June 1994; and what their flight times and routes were. [150410]
Mr. Spellar [holding answer 14 February 2001]: No Chinook helicopters flew into Northern Ireland on 2 June 1994. One flew out, that being Chinook ZD 576 which left RAF Aldergrove at 17.42 hours, en route to Fort George.
Mr. William Ross: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for how long tasking records of helicopter flights are normally retained; in what form they are stored; how long they are retained in the case of an accident; and if the tasking records of the last flight of helicopter ZD 576 have been retained. [150409]
Mr. Spellar [holding answer 14 February 2001]: Tasking forms recording helicopter flights in Northern Ireland are retained for six years. However in the case of an accident the relevant tasking record for the day it occurred will normally be held as part of the Board of Inquiry papers, for as long as it is necessary to retain the latter. The 2 June 1994 tasking record for Chinook ZD 576 is still retained with the RAF Board of Inquiry report.
Mr. William Ross: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many and which Chinook helicopters were stationed in Northern Ireland in the months of May and June 1994; and from which bases they operated. [150403]
Mr. Spellar [holding answer 14 February 2001]: At that time two Chinook helicopters were detached to Northern Ireland. In May 1994 these were Mk1s until 15 Feb 2001 : Column: 195W
31 May when ZD 576, the first Chinook Mk2 to operate in Northern Ireland, was delivered to RAF Aldergrove, and one of the Mk1s was flown back to RAF Odiham. All the Chinook aircraft in Northern Ireland operate out of RAF Aldergrove and return there at the end of the day's tasking.
Mr. William Ross: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when it was decided, and by whom, that Chinook helicopter ZD 576 would be used on the flight on which it crashed on 2 June 1994. [150411]
Mr. Spellar [holding answer 14 February 2001]: The flight was tasked by the Joint Air Tasking Operations Centre (JATOC) in Northern Ireland on 1 June 1994.
I would now like to place an emphasis on the response by Mr Spellar that said no Chinooks flew into Northern Ireland on the 2nd of June 1994 and only one left which was Chinook ZDS576 which departed at 1742 local time to its first position report (Waypoint A off the Mull of Kintyre Lighthouse).
This statemeent is grossly incorrect based on the following fact that another unidentified Chinook (believed to be American) appeared to come from the Aldergrove direction and flew out to sea just before the departure of ZD576.......one can only assume that this was based temporarily at RAF Machrihanish.
One the 1st of June 1994 Chinook ZD576 was flown by Lt(RN) Kingston and upon return later that afternoon Lt(RN) Kinston discussed the following day's tasking with Lt Lt Tapper. That tasking involved the movement of troops within Northern Ireland for which 6.5 hours had been allocated and the final task being the passenger flight from RAF Aldergrove to Fort George and return to which 3 hours had been allocated. Fl Lt Tapper elected to carry out all of this tasking using his own crew and consequently carried out flight planning for the Inverness flight during the evening of the 1st of June 1994. Both Fl Lt Tapper was seen preparing maps for the following day. MALM Forbes who was in another accommodation was also seen preparing maps for the next day. This aspect clearly shows the professionalism of both aircrew in preparing for the next days tasking.
The day of the tasking (2nd of June 1994) Fl Lt Tapper conducted a sortie brief with his crew. Weather data was received with Machrihanish (situated just north of their first waypoint A) being borderline. The appropriate 230 Squadron Duty Officer was not available for the brief as he was at another brief involving a Puma formation and so Fl Lt Tapper left photocopies of his maps with the Duty Officers Assistant.
The passenger for this aircraft were processed through RAF Aldergrove Air Movement Section and received a safety briefing by two RAF staff (FS Holmes and Sgt Coles) who happened to be the crewmen belonging to Lt(RN) Kingston. The passenger were provided with appropriate safety equipment but their baggage was no xrayed.
Fl Lt Tapper and crew were driven to Chinook ZD576 at approximately 1700 hours where they conducted a normal aircraft start and reposition the Chinook to the Air Movements Dispersal. At 1720 the passengers were boarded and their baggage was secured along the centre of the cabin floor. The Chinook, callsign F4J40, took off at 1742 hours and departed on track 027 (M) ...comms was established on HF with 81SU (Strike Command) at 1746 and asked for a listening watch to be maintained.
The aircraft requested to leave the the Aldergrove Approach Radar frequency just before the Control Zone Boundary and concluded its ATC service with Belfast International Airport at 1747. The aircraft was not observed on radar after that time.
The aircraft was observed by several witnesses low level over the Antrim Hills heading toward the coastal point of Carnlough. At 1755 Scottish Military received a single call on their contact frequency and this call was not answered. After further investigation by myself the actual broadcast read as follows: "Scottish Military, good afternoon this is F4J40"
This is typical of calls made when entering another zone.........it would have been answered by an acknowledgement and followed by any further instructions from ATC....however it was not answered and one can only assume that the crew would have called again to establish communications as it was getting close to there position report (Waypoint A) ...what is extremely strange is that from this moment on their was a time lapse of approximately 4.5 minutes prior to impact and no further calls were made even though the report says that the helicopter was operating normally and was under full control. This information is critical in the investigation because this crew would have kept trying to contact Scottish Military as they were now flying in their zone with no communications to the controlling authority.......Fl Lt Tapper would have kept making calls and in the event that communications were not established he would have gone back to Northern Ireland Control (his last controlling authority) to advise them that he has no comms with Scottish Military and they would then have told him to remain on this frequency whilst they check it out. A call to Scottish would then have been made to determine the problem etc.
Lets just recall the questions and answers time between Mr William Ross and Mr Spellar when Mr Spellar said there was only one outbound movement of a Chinook that day ie no Chinnoks came in and only one left which was the one that left for Scotland ZD576.
So I would now like to point out another mistake in this inquiry and that is the fact that a second Chinock was observed flying from the direction of Aldergrove heading up towards Portrush by another reliable witness and also some witnesses in Bushmills (further to the east) heard the Chinook but did not see it.
Here is an account of that witness:
"My late parents and I were driving east from Coleraine towards Bushmills about 30 minutes before the crash. It had been a very wet afternoon and the sky was still very dark for the time of day. A Chinook with a [three colour] patchwork quilt style camouflage flew across our path just after we reached the top of Kilgrain hill. It was flying low in a northerly direction along the line of the Ballyversal road and by the time we reached the junction with that road the Chinook was just skimming the high ground to our left. There have been unconfirmed reports that the distinctive sound of a Chinook was heard over Bushmills.
No one has been able, so far, to explain the ownership of this Chinook or its role that day. I checked out the camouflage with someone who worked in the paintshop at RAF Odiham and he explained that this style of camouflage would most likely have been used by a special operations Chinook." he did go on to say that the sun was breaking through the cloud to the west and was on the side of the Chinook and that he was not sure if it was RAF or American as he was aware of US Navy seals operating from RAF Machrihanish around that time. You may recall that one of the witnesses who was sailing offshore the Mull of Kintyre also passed comment about the sun breaking through the cloud and he could see the reflection on the glass cockpit as it approached........obviously this was ZD576.
To give strength to this story I will also print the following from another report which clearly indicates another radar contact was made that remained unidentified:
There is taped data from a Scottish air traffic control room that shows an unidentified target nearing the Mull of Kintyre at precisely the same time as the disaster. And finally, we have been told by RAF sources that a United States Air Force team reached the crash site prior to any UK rescue unit and sifted through the wreckage. What were they looking for?
Someone in Northern Ireland also confirmed the same story in that when RAF staff arrived at the scene there were other people sifting through the wreckage. One of the RAF crew approached them and asked what they were doing.......the reply came back in a strong American accent "We are looking for something that belongs to us."
This was also confirmed by two senior RAF officers at a base in Lincolnshire, one a senior communications officer, have confirmed that Americans were at the scene of the crash first. When the British servicemen asked them to explain themselves, they were told: "We are looking for something that belongs to us."
So to recap my main questions/concerns that have not be covered by the past inquiry and is vital in the current reveiw are as follows:
Why did Mr. Spellar give a false reply to Mr William Ross regarding the outbound movements that day?
Why was this second Chinook not identified as being within the Northern Ireland Zone and later the Scottish Zone?
Why didn't Scottish Military make this additional radar contact information available to the first inquiry and why hasn't the current review team received this information?
Why didn't the first inquiry board pick up the fact that almost 5 minutes had elapsed at a critical hand over point which meant that ZD576 was in a no comms situation? This would never happen in normal circumstances and Scottish would know their flight plan and Northern Ireland would have handed the Chinook over to them. Scottish would have called them to establish communications and likewise Fl Lt Tapper would have kept calling them. As the report said that the crew and aircraft were operating normally up until nearing Waypoint Alpha. It is also fact that ZD576 had also established HF comms with the RAF Strike Command and requested a listening watch be maintained how come this additional back up frequency was not used by the crew.........Could the crew have been incapacitated and did not make any calls at all?
Why was such a high profile flight undertaken without meticulous monitoring by the RAF and why was all the VIP allowed to travel on one helicopter?
I am led to believe that two RAF Puma Helicopters were requested and refused and that the crew were extremely apprehensive in having to fly ZD576.
In closing this report I would be bold enough to state the possible events that took place that day:
Another Chinook (possibly US) with their own team onboard set out ahead of ZD576 and tracked up towards Portrush and then over to the Mull of Kintyre to monitor the flight of ZD576 and the actual crash (as was reported a second radar return was observed at the same time).
This helicopter carried the team that would go through the wreckage immediately after the crash and ahead of the RAF team......the only way this could occur was that if the US team knew of the intended crash and were nearby ready to move in.
This US team had no authority to enter the scene of a crash, especially when this involved an RAF aircraft with British crew and passengers. Air Crash Scenes become a sterile/secured area by the local police until such time as crash/emergency crews arrive and then after the investigation team takes over. Nothing is allowed to be taken from the scene prior to this and no other third parties are allowed to enter. I would also like to put on record that baggage and personal belongings were also removed which is also in violation of normal protocol.
I repeat again the statement made by the senior officer from Strathclyde Police who emphasised just after the crash that there was nothing suspicious about this crash and that it was simply a very tragic accident .......this statement alone made me deeply suspicious that this was a total cover-up as he does not have the experience or capacity to make such a bold statement, especially before the investigation got underway.
Summary:
Based on the statement made by ex Intel Operative Ms Tara Dacison in 2010 that this was an inside job and based on the report from the coroner that all crew and passengers died from gunshot wounds to the head (as per my two reports to Lord Philip) one can only surmise that the crew and passengers died at some time prior to the arrival at Waypoint Alpha and without course correction continued on into the hillside.
The presence of the second Chinook (US?) that tracked up to Portrush and then possible over to the Mull of Kintyre (as per Scottish second radar return) may have played a significant part in this tragic event.....especially when it was understood that collusion had possibly been taking place between the RUC and the Intelligence units with additional pressure from the US to expedite the peace talks etc....one can only guess. US Navy Seals were in situ at Machrihanish at the time and they are specialist at this type of work.
I repeat again that the only sure way of identifying the truth behind this crash is to bring Ms Tara Davison in for questioning (as per Mr. Gordon Bowden and my request to the police on two occasions) and secondly to obtain the original report from the lady who wrote that the cause of death was by gunshot wounds to the head. Obviously one would have to be rather naive to think that autopsy report are not falsified to comply with secret service activities. Finally the ultimate truth can only be gained by carrying out another autopsy on the victims concerned which would immediately reveal the true events of that day.
My latest evidence has been sent to the Review Board in Scotland as shown below:
Re accident Chinook ZD576 2/6/1994
Monday, 30 May, 2011 8:50
From:"PETER EYRE"
To:Alexander.Passa@scotlandoffice.gsi.gov.uk, Ada.Munns@scotlandoffice.gsi.gov.uk Cc:rafbowden@yahoo.co.uk
For the urgent attention of the Mull of Kintyre Review Board - The Rt Hon Lord Philip, Rt Hon Malcolm Bruce MP, the Rt Hon the Lord Forsyth of Drumlean and the Rt Hon the Baroness Liddell of Coatdyke.
Ladies and Gentlemen
After further investigation and contact with other third parties in both Northern Ireland and Scotland I now wish to add additional evidence to my previous communications sent to you on 27/10/2010 and more recently 23/5/2011 as follows:
On Saturday and Sunday 28/29 May 2011, I spent much time going over many aspects of the crash and gathering more information based on the information I had previously received and to now look at this tragedy from a totally different perspective. As the day unfolded some remarkable information came to light that appeared to support my previous two statements, to which you all have copies.
This was in relation to question time in the House of Commons being made by a Northern Ireland politician along with some other strange events both within Northern Ireland’s Airspace, Scottish Airspace and at the scene of the accident.
First I would like to make note of the following exchange that took place between William Ross, former East Londonderry MP, and Mr. John Speller, MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Defence who put down a series of questions in 2001 as follows.
15 Feb 2001 : Column: 191W Written Answers to Questions Thursday 15 February 2001
Mr. William Ross: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Chinook helicopters were flown (a) into and (b) out of Northern Ireland on 2 June 1994; and what their flight times and routes were. [150410]
Mr. Spellar [holding answer 14 February 2001]: No Chinook helicopters flew into Northern Ireland on 2 June 1994. One flew out, that being Chinook ZD 576 which left RAF Aldergrove at 17.42 hours, en route to Fort George.
Mr. William Ross: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for how long tasking records of helicopter flights are normally retained; in what form they are stored; how long they are retained in the case of an accident; and if the tasking records of the last flight of helicopter ZD 576 have been retained. [150409]
Mr. Spellar [holding answer 14 February 2001]: Tasking forms recording helicopter flights in Northern Ireland are retained for six years. However in the case of an accident the relevant tasking record for the day it occurred will normally be held as part of the Board of Inquiry papers, for as long as it is necessary to retain the latter. The 2 June 1994 tasking record for Chinook ZD 576 is still retained with the RAF Board of Inquiry report.
Mr. William Ross: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many and which Chinook helicopters were stationed in Northern Ireland in the months of May and June 1994; and from which bases they operated. [150403]
Mr. Spellar [holding answer 14 February 2001]: At that time two Chinook helicopters were detached to Northern Ireland. In May 1994 these were Mk1s until 15 Feb 2001 Column: 195W
31 May when ZD 576, the first Chinook Mk2 to operate in Northern Ireland, was delivered to RAF Aldergrove and one of the Mk1s was flown back to RAF Odiham. All the Chinook aircraft in Northern Ireland operate out of RAF Aldergrove and return there at the end of the day’s tasking.
Mr. William Ross: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when it was decided, and by whom, that Chinook helicopter ZD 576 would be used on the flight on which it crashed on 2 June 1994. [150411]
Mr. Spellar [holding answer 14 February 2001]: The flight was tasked by the Joint Air Tasking Operations Centre (JATOC) in Northern Ireland on 1 June 1994.
I would now like to place an emphasis on the response by Mr. Spellar who said
“No Chinook helicopters flew into Northern Ireland on 2 June 1994. One flew out, that being Chinook ZD 576 which left RAF Aldergrove at 17.42 hours, en route to Fort George.”
This statement is grossly incorrect based on the following fact that another unidentified Chinook (believed to be American) appeared to come from the Aldergrove direction and flew out to sea just before the departure of ZD576…….one can only assume that this Chinook was based temporarily at RAF Machrihanish as according to the inquiry the other Chinook was out of service and thus no RAF Chinooks were left to operate that day except ZD576.
Before proceeding with more evidence I would just like to recap events leading up to the crash:
One the 1st of June 1994 Chinook ZD576 was flown by Lt(RN) Kingston and upon return later that afternoon Lt(RN) Kingston discussed the following day’s tasking with Fl Lt Tapper.
That tasking involved the movement of troops within Northern Ireland for which 6.5 hours had been allocated and the final task being the passenger flight from RAF Aldergrove to Fort George and return to which 3 hours had been allocated.
Fl Lt Tapper elected to carry out all of this tasking using his own crew and consequently carried out flight planning for the Inverness flight during the evening of the 1st of June 1994. Both Fl Lt Tapper was seen preparing maps for the following day. MALM Forbes who was in another accommodation was also seen preparing maps for the next day. This aspect clearly shows the professionalism of both aircrew in preparing for the next days tasking.
The day of the tasking (2nd of June 1994) Fl Lt Tapper conducted a sortie brief with his crew. Weather data was received with Machrihanish (situated just north of their first Waypoint A) being borderline. The appropriate 230 Squadron Duty Officer was not available for the brief as he was at another brief involving a Puma formation and so Fl Lt Tapper left photocopies of his maps with the Duty Officers Assistant.
The passenger for this aircraft were processed through RAF Aldergrove Air Movement Section and received a safety briefing by two RAF staff (FS Holmes and Sgt Coles) who happened to be the crewmen belonging to Lt(RN) Kingston. The passengers were provided with appropriate safety equipment but their baggage was no x-rayed.
Fl Lt Tapper and crew were driven to Chinook ZD576 at approximately 1700 hours where they conducted a normal aircraft start up and repositioned the Chinook to the Air Movements Dispersal.
At 1720 the passengers were boarded and their baggage was secured along the centre of the cabin floor. The Chinook, call sign F4J40, took off at 1742 hours and departed on track 027 (M) …comms was established on HF with 81SU (Strike Command) at 1746 and asked for a listening watch to be maintained.
The aircraft requested to leave the Aldergrove Approach Radar frequency just before the Control Zone Boundary and concluded its ATC service with Belfast International Airport at 1747. The aircraft was not observed on radar after that time.
The aircraft was observed by several witnesses’ low level over the Antrim Hills heading toward the coastal point of Carnlough. At 1755 Scottish Military received a single call on their contact frequency and this call was not answered. After further investigation by myself the actual broadcast read as follows: “Scottish Military, good afternoon this is F4J40″
This is typical of calls made when entering another zone………it would have been answered by an acknowledgement and followed by further instructions from Scottish Military….however it was not answered and one can only assume that the crew would have kept calling again to establish communications as it was getting close to there position report (Waypoint A).
What is extremely strange is that from this moment on their was a time lapse of approximately 4.5 minutes prior to impact and no further calls were made, even though the report says that the helicopter was operating normally and was under full control. This information is critical in the investigation because this crew would have kept trying to contact Scottish Military as they were now flying in their zone with no communications established with the controlling authority.
Fl Lt Tapper would have kept making calls and in the event that communications were not established he would have switched his comms back to Northern Ireland Control (his last controlling authority) to advise them that he has no comms with Scottish Military and they would then have told him to remain on this frequency whilst they check it out. A communication to Scottish Military would then have been made by Northern Ireland to determine the problem etc.
Let's again recall the Parliamentary questions and answers time between Mr. William Ross and Mr. Spellar when Mr. Spellar said there was only one outbound movement of a Chinook that day i.e. no Chinooks came in and only one left which was the one that left for Scotland ZD576.
I would now like to point out another mistake in this inquiry and that is the fact that a second Chinook was observed flying from the direction of Aldergrove heading north towards the sea (Portrush direction) by another reliable witness and that it would appear other people in Bushmills (further to the east) heard the Chinook but did not see it.
Here is an account of that witness:
”My late parents and I were driving east from Coleraine towards Bushmills about 30 minutes before the crash. It had been a very wet afternoon and the sky was still very dark for the time of day. A Chinook with a [three colour] patchwork quilt style camouflage flew across our path just after we reached the top of Kilgrain hill. It was flying low in a northerly direction along the line of the Ballyversal road and by the time we reached the junction with that road the Chinook was just skimming the high ground to our left. There have been unconfirmed reports that the distinctive sound of a Chinook was heard over Bushmills."
"No one has been able, so far, to explain the ownership of this Chinook or its role that day. I checked out the camouflage with someone who worked in the paint shop at RAF Odiham and he explained that this style of camouflage would most likely have been used by special operations Chinook.”
This witness did go on to say that "The sun was breaking through the cloud to the west and was on the side of the Chinook and that he was not sure if it was RAF or American and that he was aware of US Navy seals operating from RAF Machrihanish around that time."
You may recall that one of the witnesses who was sailing offshore the Mull of Kintyre also passed comment about the sun breaking through the cloud and he could see the reflection on the glass cockpit as it approached……..obviously this was ZD576.
To give strength to this story I will also print the following from another report which clearly indicates another radar contact was made that remained unidentified:
There is taped data from a Scottish air traffic control room that shows an unidentified target nearing the Mull of Kintyre at precisely the same time as the disaster. And finally, we have been told by RAF sources that a United States Air Force team reached the crash site prior to any UK rescue unit and sifted through the wreckage. What were they looking for?
Someone in Northern Ireland also confirmed the same story in that when RAF staff arrived at the scene there were other people sifting through the wreckage. One of the RAF crew approached them and asked what they were doing…….the reply came back in a strong American accent “We are looking for something that belongs to us.”
This was also confirmed by two senior RAF officers at a base in Lincolnshire, one a senior communications officer, have confirmed that Americans were at the scene of the crash first. When the British servicemen asked them to explain themselves, they were told: “We are looking for something that belongs to us.”
Why did Mr. Spellar give a false statement to Mr. William Ross regarding the outbound movements that day?
Why was this second Chinook not identified as being within the Northern Ireland Zone and later the Scottish Zone?
Why didn’t Scottish Military make this additional radar contact information available to the first inquiry and why hasn’t the current review team received this information?
Why didn’t the first inquiry board pick up the fact that almost 5 minutes had elapsed at a critical hand over point which meant that ZD576 was in a no comms situation? This would never happen in normal circumstances and Scottish would know their flight plan and Northern Ireland would have handed the Chinook over to them. Scottish would have called them to establish communications and likewise Fl Lt Tapper would have kept calling them. As the report said that the crew and aircraft were operating normally up until Waypoint Alpha.
It is fact that ZD576 had also established HF comms with the RAF Strike Command and requested a listening watch be maintained how come this additional back up frequency was not used by the crew………Could the crew have been incapacitated and did not make any calls at all?
Why was such a high profile flight undertaken without meticulous monitoring by the RAF and why were all the VIP allowed to travel on one helicopter?
I am led to believe that two RAF Puma Helicopters were requested and refused and that the crew were extremely apprehensive in having to fly ZD576.
In closing this report I would be bold enough to state the possible events that took place that day:
Another Chinook (possibly US) with their own team onboard set out ahead of ZD576 and tracked up towards Portrush and then over to the Mull of Kintyre to monitor the flight of ZD576 and the actual crash (as was reported a second radar return was observed at the same time).
This helicopter carried the team that would go through the wreckage immediately after the crash and ahead of the RAF team……the only way this could occur was that if the US team knew of the intended crash and were nearby ready to move in.
This US team had no authority to enter the scene of a crash, especially when this involved an RAF aircraft with British crew and passengers. Air Crash Scenes become a sterile/secured area by the local police until such time as crash/emergency crews arrive and then after the investigation team takes over. Nothing is allowed to be taken from the scene prior to this and no other third parties are allowed to enter. I would also like to put on record that baggage and personal belongings were also removed which is also in violation of normal protocol.
I repeat again the statement made by the senior officer from Strathclyde Police who emphasized just after the crash that there was nothing suspicious about this crash and that it was simply a very tragic accident …….this statement alone made me deeply suspicious that this was a total cover-up as he did not have the authority, experience or capacity to make such a bold statement, especially before the investigation got underway.
Summary:
Based on the statement made by ex Intel Operative Ms Tara Davison in 2010 that this was an inside job and based on the report from the coroner that all crew and passengers died from gunshot wounds to the head (as per my two reports to the Review Panel) one can only surmise that the crew and passengers died at some time prior to the arrival at Waypoint Alpha and without course correction continued on into the hillside.
The presence of the second Chinook (US?) that tracked up to Portrush and then possible over to the Mull of Kintyre (as per Scottish second radar return) may have played a significant part in this tragic event…..especially when it was understood in Northern Ireland at the time that collusion had possibly been taking place between the RUC and the Intelligence units with additional pressure from the US to expedite the peace talks etc….one can only guess. US Navy Seals were in situ at RAF Machrihanish at the time and they are specialist at this type of work.
I repeat again that the only sure way of identifying the truth behind this crash is to bring Ms Tara Davison in for questioning (as per Mr. Gordon Bowden and my request to the police on two occasions) and secondly to obtain the original report from the lady coroner who wrote that the cause of death was by gunshot wounds to the head. Obviously one would have to be rather naive to think that autopsy reports are not falsified to comply with secret service activities.
Finally the ultimate truth can only be gained by carrying out another autopsy on the victims concerned which would immediately reveal the true events of that day.
This email has been recorded, duplicated and distributed to many sources (including the media) both here in the UK and overseas for the safety of all those involved in this on going investigation.
Would you please acknowledge receipt of this evidence upon returning to work on Tuesday?
Kind Regards
Peter Eyre
Aviation Consultant – Ex Senior Operations Officer (Airline/Helicopter) – Search and Rescue Coordinator (helicopters)
I have received an automated response as follows:
RE: Re accident Chinook ZD576 2/6/1994
Monday, 30 May, 2011 8:50
From:
"Alexander.Passa@scotlandoffice.gsi.gov.uk"
To:
Peter Eyre
Thank you for your email.
I am out of the office until 23 May and will respond on my return. If your message is urgent please contact Ada Munns on 0131 244 9003 Ada.Munns@scotlandoffice.gsi.gov.uk.
Alex Passa
Secretary to the Mull of Kintyre Review
Peter Eyre – Middle East Consultant – 29/5/2011 www.eyreinternational.wordpress.com
