A very different perspective
I am a relative of a victim of an air crash. My perspective on the release of these tapes or any other original information is as follows. My father was killed on the 4th May 1963 (my 11th birthday in fact) in a RAF Belvedere helicopter in the Trusan valley, Sarawak, in wartime conditions. All on board were killed instantly. For some 30 years the MoD refused all relatives any information relating to the crash. Indeed they obstructed relatives who attempted to find out information including where the bodies were buried. To cut a very long story short information became available and the men concerned were eventually given a proper decent burial with many relatives including myself present. The not knowing what went on is very damaging to those left behind and I'm more than happy to discuss it. Suffice to say the release of any, I stress any information, particularly in its original form allows relatives to understand and grieve for their loss. It does not mean relatives want to look at or listen to the original photos, videos, TV or tapes. But, if there is knowledge on the relatives part that they are being given only a transcript there can be suspicions raised that things are being hidden. If they know the original material is out there which they can consult or ask someone they trust to consult to verify its bona fides it allows relatives to trust the investigation process. I myself can give an example. I met the man who in very difficult circumstances took care of my father's, and the others remains on the crash site. He gave me the opportunity to ask any question I wanted about the crash site and the conditions he was working in, what he found and what he did and why. I did not ask anything, nor did any of the other relatives present. It was a privilege to have met the man and to gain the knowledge that our loved ones were looked after. As long as he is alive we can ask him any questions and to my knowledge not one of us has. Many flight crew on this forum are so saddened by the loss of colleagues in the industry who are lost in flying accidents, they understandably put RIP. All I can add is that there is no RIP from a relatives point of view unless transparency of all original information occurs.
I would loved to have followed my father in a having a flying career but that was not to be (poor eyesight) and as you might expect I have nothing but the greatest of respect for flight deck crew, but on the main issue of this thread (the release of the tapes) I strongly disagree with contributors for the reasons I have given.