Desperate bid to save security man after bomb blast

COLLEAGUES of a former Royal Marine ambushed in Iraq made desperate attempts to keep him alive after a terrorist bomb detonated beneath his armoured vehicle.

Robbie Napier was working as a civilian security operative in Baghdad for American company Aegis when his Toyota Land Cruiser was hit by an explosive device detonated remotely, an inquest heard.

His side of the vehicle took the force of the blast and he was left with horrific injuries.

The 36-year-old former Royal Marine, of Stanley, Wakefield, had been due to leave the job he loved in two months, so he could spend more time with his family, including two-year-old daughter Laura and 11-week-old Louise, who he delivered at the family home in January.

Mr Napier was travelling as team commander in the first vehicle of a three-vehicle convoy on Wednesday, March 10.

His vehicle had just passed through a checkpoint when it was caught in an explosion.

Colleagues in two following vehicles tried desperately to save his life but later complained that a requested evacuation by helicopter had been too slow.

In a statement, one colleague said of an American Black Hawk evacuation team: “The air team were poor at best – they had no sense of urgency.”

One of his colleagues complained that the helicopter would not take off immediately because a medical bag had been left behind.

A witness also complained that an Iraqi policeman had been taking photographs of the horrific scene on his camera phone.

Coroner David Hinchliff said it was clear that colleagues of Mr Napier had done their utmost to help him but were “not particularly complimentary of the helicopter crew” for its speed and efficiency.

But Mr Hinchliff said that the evidence from a post-mortem examination suggested that Mr Napier’s injuries were so serious that he would not have survived even with a speedier evacuation.

The examination revealed that Mr Napier had died as a result of multiple injuries caused by shrapnel from a bomb blast.

Mr Hinchliff recorded a verdict that he had been unlawfully killed.

At his funeral at Wakefield Cathedral in April Mr Napier’s widow Claire said her husband was a funny, fearless, invincible, thoughtful person who was larger than life.