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Inquest into Marines' Afghanistan deaths
31.07.09
An inquest will be held today into the deaths of two Royal Marines whose patrol vehicle was hit by a Taliban explosive in Afghanistan.
Robert McKibben, from County Mayo in the Irish Republic, and Neil Dunstan, from Bournemouth, Dorset, both 32, died when their Jackal was struck by the device in the Garmsir district of southern Helmand Province on November 12 last year.
The men were operating as part Task Force Helmand's Information Exploitation Group.
They were members of the British Reconnaissance Force (BEF) serving on Operation Herrick and their vehicle was struck during a routine joint patrol with soldiers from the Afghan National Security Forces.
Despite the efforts of medics, both were pronounced dead at the scene. A member of the Afghan National Security Forces also lost his life and a third Royal Marine was seriously injured.
Marine McKibben had excelled in an aptitude course for the Special Forces, while Marine Dunstan spoke fluent French and had passed a mountain leadership course. He was to marry fiancee Kate Miller in 2010.
The hearing is due to begin at 10am at Trowbridge Town Hall in Wiltshire.
