UK HELICOPTER DOWN IN AFGHANISTAN
 

The MOD can confirm that a UK helicopter crashed in southern Afghanistan today, 26 April 2014.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/m...rn-afghanistan

Thoughts with the families of those killed in the crash.

From the website link, a cue for the previous poster, who may be hard of thinking:

"The incident is under investigation and it would be inappropriate to comment further until families have been notified."

Thoughts go to those involved.

Thoughts with the families and the guys at this time.

Well said nice castle.

TN.

Terrible news indeed. Thoughts with the families and friends.

Lewis, I echo nice castle's point. Unless that information is in the public domain you'd do well to keep your trap shut whether you're right or not. You may not be aware but there are processes and protocols for these awful things and these are other peoples' lives. Your ill-judged comment may have sent quite a few more people running for the telephone. :ugh::ugh::ugh:

Imgaylard

Your inappropriate and untimely post has to be one of the most thoughtless and insensitive I have ever seen on this site.

AFAIK the KINFORMING process is incomplete and yet you have announced a unit to the world via the many journos who follow this forum. "Hard of thinking" doesn't even come close.

:D:D:D

Note, BBC website updated with 'believed to be a Lynx' 3 minutes after your post appeared. Enough said.

UK HELICOPTER DOWN IN AFGHANISTAN
 

RIP - Devastated for your families.

BBC Trap Shut Too
 

Who told the BBC what it was 'believed to be!' Either they are just as bad as others for ill timed comment or speculation or someone close to the details has said too much too soon. MOD shouldn't comment on anything until process is complete - just shows how much the press will push to say something when saying nothing is the default position as a mark of respect.

If it was MOD then someone needs a good kicking.

Msoc, the original poster has rightly deleted the post, one would suggest you remove the type also until those that may get some lousy news have been informed..

MSOCS

I know, hence my use of 'a unit' not 'the unit'. I agree it should not have been mentioned!

Tailchase

BBC will probably have got the Lynx line from this thread (the update was within 3 mins of the post in question. They will definitely not have got the info from MOD, which has hard rules on what can and can't be released.

Nut loose, my post stands. It would do well to educate a few types who haunt these forums to let the military get on with their jobs and not 'stick their oar in' because they have a few contacts on the inside. However, what's done is done. I can only hope that the kin informing process was complete before any friends or family read Gaylard's post.

Enough.

Once again, my sincere thoughts with the families and loved ones of those lost today. RIP.

Journalistic Licence
 

Of course ' journalistic licence = fact from speculation' and Mr Beaver seems to be adding additional information of his own.

Nothing to say, so will move myself along.

Paul Beaver I believe has a TA (Lt Col?) role within AAC/JHC and is probably fully briefed and media savvy as one can be given that the probably as we all know that sadly the news may have to be broken ahead of families in this situation for factors we are unaware of at the moment. Maybe despite the best will and policies in the world some cannot help themselves but jump on social media (not just UK personnel based in Afg, but international forces/civvie contractors), or even the local population (majority with mobile phones and sufficient mobile coverage in the bundu) get the information to those that would seek to use it for their own purposes. Of course, if it is later discovered that it is an ill informed over zealous MoD duty officer then I am sure that there will be a follow up review.

It would be nice though if the BBC Defence correspondent Mr Beale could at least advise his news team that the picture being used on his BBC website covering his 'breaking' story was a Merlin.

But then again who cares, it is all still speculation until a Service Inquiry report and on the scale, a picture doesn't register at all.

Sad news.

Dear all.
I sincerely apologise for my unusual lack of tact in this matter.


It certainly was not my intention to upset or distress anyone on here and I didn't appreciate that family members may well be looking on this site for info.


I was just trying to be helpful passing on what I was told.


Once again I am sincerely sorry for any upset caused.

MaroonMan4,

That pic is actually a Puma (looks like a Super Puma actually with the stabiliser fin under the tail boom)...

Either way, yet another episode of the BBC using completely inappropriate pictures.

Beaver is no longer serving in any shape, manner or form.

Gaylard, I don't know you, or whether you're still serving, but if so, get some education by attending a PCMIO course. Thanks for deleting your earlier post. Well done for making an upfront apology rather than trying to justify yourself. Never do that again please.

Whatever mistakes have been made, our thoughts should be with all families who have loved ones serving in theatre at this time. It's sickening watching the press, particularly the BBC News 24/Sky News types battling to release speculation as "breaking news", perhaps we should all consider complaining about their unjustified haste, without formal confirmation. To me its sickening that the media in General would rather push out speculation and be wrong, than wait for the facts, and then report that correctly. It's especially egregious when done by the BBC. Of course none of this will console the next of kin when the official announcement is made, I for one offer my sincere condolences.

Smudge