Coroner questions air support for Afghanistan patrols

Soldiers’ request was refused

Published:

A CORONER said yesterday that “further consideration” should be given to providing increased air support to British soldiers returning to their bases while out on foot patrol in Afghanistan.

Coroner David Masters made the comments at the inquest into the deaths of Lance Corporal James Bateman and Private Jeff Doherty, both of 8 Platoon of C (Bruneval) Company, 2nd Battalion the Parachute Regiment (2Para).

They were killed when they came under heavy Taliban fire on June 12 as they returned to their base in the Upper Gereshk Valley, in Helmand Province, from a patrol.

The inquest, at Wiltshire Coroner’s Court, heard that the soldiers had put in a bid for air support, but were refused as intelligence did not indicate there was any threat of attack in the area.

Mr Masters noted that a helicopter did come later, but he said he could not understand why the soldiers’ bid was not successful, because the intelligence indicated there was not that specific threat at the time.”

He added: “Further consideration should be given to returning patrols, further consideration should be given to the deployment of overhead assets in that context.

“A patrol is under greater risk on its way back than on its way out because its likely position can be identified.”

He recorded verdicts of unlawful killing