UK forces Hercules damaged by roadside bomb in Iraq
Iraq-UK, Military, 2/21/2007

A British Hercules C130 transport aircraft destroyed in Iraq last week was hit by hostile action, according to a preliminary inquiry.

"The initial investigation suggests that it was struck by an improvised explosive device similar to a roadside bomb," Defense Minister Lord Drayson said.

The Hercules was destroyed by British troops after being involved in an "incident" when it was significantly damaged during a routine mission in Maysan province on February 12.

But at the time, the BBC quoted a military spokesman in Basra saying there was "no evidence of hostile action" during the landing at a makeshift runway just north of al-Amarah.

Speaking during a debate in the House of Lords on Tuesday, Drayson said that after assessment of the damage, it was concluded that the aircraft could "not be recovered without undue risk to personnel so the aircraft was destroyed by UK forces."

Reports suggested that the transport aircraft, valued in the region of Pnds 45 million ($ 88 million) was destroyed by explosives experts to stop specialist equipment falling into hostile hands as it lay on the runway.

The Defense Minister said that Britain was reviewing closely the security situation in the province when asked about plans to hand back Mayan to Iraqi authorities in the light of the new attack.

"We still believe that it will be possible in the relatively near future - we believe in the spring - to make the transition to the Iraqi security forces in that province," he said. But Drayson also cautioned that the strategy of the transfer and its implementation are "based on conditions on the ground."

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