I disagree wholly about murder- he fired the rockets with the direct and calculated intention of bringing down an aircraft which he had not correctly indetified.
I do agree that towards the PAX, 'malice afterthought' was not provable, but in terms if the aircraft, yes, there was MA.
I guess murder with diminished responsibility would have been a decent call, as clearly he was in no fit mental state to command a canoe, let alone a warship.
Jakey, are you suggesting he should get 35 years for "Murdering an aircraft"?
Murder with diminished responsibility? keep on guessing.
"an aircraft which he had not correctly indetified." You missed the point there, he had, in his mind, identified it. He was wrong, but didn't know that. This was an honest mistake, possibly even carelessness, but not by any legal definition is it murder.