April 1975, House of Commons.
Parachuting Accident (Kiel Canal)
HC Deb 15 April 1975 vol 890 cc57-9W57W
§Mr. Younger asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he has received the results of the inquiry into the parachuting accident during exercise Bold Guard over the Kiel Canal on 11th September 1974: and if he will now make a statement.
§Mr. Mason The proceedings of the joint Royal Air Force and Army Board of Inquiry on this tragic accident have now been received and studied.
After an exhaustive examination, which included taking evidence from some 74 witnesses, it has been established that the basic reason for 15 men landing in the canal was that the actual wind encountered during the parachute descent was both stronger and more southerly than had been forecast, due to a temperature inversion near the surface. Using our present methods of weather forecasting this variation could not have been detected before the actual drop.
All the parachutists involved had had the necessary training and had been specifically briefed on the possibility of a landing into water. All were equipped with lifejackets which are inflated by releasing gas by hand from an attached cylinder. In the case of the six men who were drowned, three, for reasons unknown, had not attempted to inflate their lifejackets; in the case of the other three the lifejackets had failed to inflate because the head of the gas cylinder had not been screwed home, one of them because the thread had become crossed.
I have carefully considered the report of the Board of Inquiry. I am satisfied that the decision to carry out the drop was justified in the circumstances and that every reasonable precaution was taken, including the provision of safety boats. Closure of the canal during the drop could not be negotiated, but I am satisfied that this was not a significant factor in the tragedy.
A full review of all existing procedures for parachute drops, including the methods of determining wind speed and direction during descent, is being undertaken to reduce or eliminate the chances of a similar occurrence. Although there is no evidence either way to show whether the cross-threaded gas cylinder was issued in that state, action has been taken to improve standards of maintenance and inspection of lifejackets and to ensure that the gas cylinder head is fully screwed home before the jacket is issued.
I deeply regret the tragic deaths of these six volunteer soldiers. My concern is not lessened by the fact that the men who were involved in this parachute drop took part knowing the high risks inherent in military parachuting and that fatal accidents will occur from time to time. It is, however, to minimise these risks that we are adopting the additional measures I have already described.