Coroner calls for changes in wake of deaths

The coroner at an inquest into the deaths of three British soldiers killed by a 500lb (227kg) bomb dropped by a US aircraft has said he would make recommendations to the Ministry of Defence to prevent such a tragedy from recurring.

By The Newsroom

Published 27th Apr 2010, 23:32 BST

Updated 27th Apr 2010, 23:32 BST

Privates Aaron McClure, 19, Robert Foster, 19, and John Thrumble, 21, were under intense fire in Afghanistan's Helmand province when a US F15 aircraft dropped a bomb on them instead of a Taliban position further north.

Grid co-ordinates communicated between air controller Sergeant Mark Perren and an American weapons officer "did not marry up" before the bomb was dropped on the men.

Pte McClure, from Ipswich, Suffolk, Pte Foster, from Harlow, Essex, and Pte Thrumble, from Maldon, Essex, of B-Company, 1st Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment, died in the blast on August 23, 2007.

After recording a narrative verdict, coroner David Masters said he wanted to make several recommendations on checking targets and GPS tracking.

Essex