Two servicemen in Afghanistan were killed by a make-shift mine at a time when a metal detector shortage was causing “concern” in the unit, an inquest heard.
Graham Livingstone, 23, from Blackwood, Lanarkshire, and Gary Thompson, 51, of Nottingham, who were Senior Aircraftmen (SACs) in the Royal Auxiliary Air Force Regiment, died in a roadside explosion outside Kandahar Airfield, the main Nato base in southern Afghanistan.
A coroner was told the patrol had only one Ebex metal detector between six vehicles, meaning a vulnerable river crossing was not exhaustively scanned for IEDs (Improvised Explosive Devices). It is the
latest allegation that UK personnel are fighting without the proper equipment.
But the device that killed them was largely plastic and would not have been picked up by a detector in any case, experts told the inquest in Trowbridge, Wiltshire.
SAC Thompson became the oldest serviceman to be killed in the conflict when the device detonated on April 13 last year. SAC Livingstone was also killed in the blast, which injured two other men.
The explosion happened as the convoy was crossing back over the shallow river, having regrouped from performing split missions.
The first group over had been able to conduct some checks at the water, but it had not been able to carry out complete Operation Barma drills because the only metal detector was with the other team.
Flight Lieutenant Andrew Costin said the team should have had two Ebex metal detectors, but one was broken and had not been replaced.
He said: “We put in for a replacement which was never received. One was borrowed from other patrols.”
That day, the team had split up so one part could carry out an equipment delivery to the north, leaving the Ebex with Flt Lt Costin’s half.
The first group crossed the 2ft-deep river in an area known to be vulnerable to mines, without having a spare device.
Sergeant Christopher Pacey, who was in a WMIK Land Rover, told the court: “Being aware that we didn’t have the appropriate equipment to carry out (the drills), the only thing you could do was use other equipment at our disposal – binoculars and thermal imaging equipment to check for disrupted ground.”
Wiltshire and Swindon coroner David Masters asked: “Would you have preferred to have undertaken the drill with a metal detector?”
Sgt Pacey replied: “Yes, sir.”
Mr Masters asked: “Were you concerned you weren’t able to conduct it with a metal detector?”
Sgt Pacey: “Yes, sir.”
When the two sections of the patrol joined up to come back over, a decision was taken for “tactical reasons” not to do a full sweep of the river again.
Corporal Matthew Wood, who was in the lead vehicle, said “visual checks” were conducted on the way back for four “tactical reasons”. First, the other team had crossed safely, he said. Secondly, there were no signs of disturbance and, thirdly, there was no activity in the area to suggest a threat.
The fourth reason was that conducting constant full Barma drills showed a “pattern” to the Taliban, who could plot their movements. Four of the six vehicles had Electronic Counter Measures (ECM), with a big enough radius to cover all six.
Barma Search Expert Captain Nicholas Anderson was asked about the effectiveness of having one metal detector in operation.
He said: “This is not in line with current policy. There should always be a minimum of two metal detectors available.
I am aware there is a shortage of metal detecting equipment in theatre.”
The inquest continues.
