Mechanical failure blamed for crash

Andrew Walker heaped further criticism on the United States for their failure to co-operate with his inquest in Oxford, saying it made his job "more difficult" and the grieving families' experience "more harrowing".

The helicopter, an American Sea Knight, went down south of the Kuwait border in March 2003 on the first day of the Iraq war.

As well as the eight British servicemen, four US servicemen also died.

American investigators concluded after the incident that spatial disorientation suffered by the US Marine Corps pilots led to the tragedy.

But a British Board of Inquiry disagreed, finding instead that a mechanical fault caused the helicopter to plunge nose first into the ground. This conclusion was later overruled by UK defence chiefs, who supported the Americans' explanation.

Recording a narrative verdict on Thursday, Mr Walker, assistant deputy coroner for Oxfordshire, said there was "no evidence whatsoever" that pilot error, in the form of spatial disorientation, was to blame on the strength of the evidence before him.

Mr Walker criticised US authorities for their non co-operation with the inquest. The Americans then permitted a report into the crash - albeit a heavily redacted copy - to be handed to the coroner. But on Thursday he voiced further anger because all the important, conclusive analysis had been removed.

The British victims, all from 3 Commando Brigade, were the first UK casualties of the Iraq war. The men who died were: Royal Marines Colour Sergeant John Cecil, 35, from Plymouth, Devon; Captain Philip Guy, 29, from Bishopdale, North Yorkshire; Marine Sholto Hedenskog, 26, from Cape Town, South Africa; Warrant Officer 2 Mark Stratford, 39, from Plymouth; and Major Jason Ward, 34, from Torquay, Devon.

Also killed were Lance Bombardier Llywelyn Evans, 24, of Llandudno, North Wales, who had a younger brother serving in the same unit, and Sgt Les Hehir, both of the 29 Commando Regiment Royal Artillery; and Operator Mechanic (Communications) Second Class Ian Seymour, 29, from Poole in Dorset and of the 148 Commando Battery Royal Artillery.