Nimrod crash cover up?

[Gromit]

The father of a soldier who died when an RAF Nimrod exploded above Afghanstan is claiming fuel leak problems were well known with the aircraft and nothing was done.

http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30100-1 290207,00.html

With information obtained under the Freedom of Information Act, he has found evidence which is at odds with the official cause of the crash.

Times 29.10.06
Sources have disclosed that an RAF board of inquiry's preliminary report has found that the fuel line fractured either as the Nimrod MR2 was being refuelled or shortly afterwards.

http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30100-1 290207,00.html

Do you think there was a cover up, and if so, can it be justified?

[Dassie]

Hello again Gromit.

Actually I don't think it's a case of a cover up, but because of the poor state of readiness in our Forces, the plane was pressed into action when it should have been grounded. Blame the Govt on this one. We are supposedly the 5th richest nation in the World but have to rely on 40 year old aircraft that are past their "fly by" date. What would the civilian population say if they had to fly on old Comet aircraft?.

[anotheoldgit]

The next time any top brass flies out to Iraq or Afganistan, I bet they don't send them out in one of those Nimrods.

[Teddio]

As UK taxpayers and voters we should see to it that our servicemen and servicewomen get the best equipment. For instance the RAF's VC-10 C1K tanker aircraft provide excellent service but are being stretched to the limit and are well past their sell-by date. The new Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft (FSTA) are long overdue.
The Army, Navy and Air Force budgets have been cut back to the bone. The simple truth is that the Government are reluctant to spend an adequate amount of money on Defence and instead have other "social" priorities. Perhaps it's not a vote-winner?

[ruby27]

Sorry must be thick.
I have read the information that suggests that the fuel line was the cause of the crash, and that there was and awareness in the RAF about the concerns, but I just don't see where the cover up comes in. If I could find reference to it, then I would say, no, that the causes of death shouldn't be covered up. Its not like it would result in national danger, once the people in Iraq or Afghanistan who object to us invading their country found out we have old equipment could do anything about it.

[Hugh Spencer]

This problem puzzles me because in WW2 before our pilot took over the aircraft from the ground crew he inspected it to his satisfaction before signing for it. Don't pilots do that nowadays?