Two British military personnel killed by a roadside bomb whilst serving in Iraq would have survived if the Land Rover they were travelling in was, instead, a Warrior armoured vehicle. This is according to coroner Andrew Walker, who, on the 18^th April, told this to those present at an inquest into the deaths of Samuela Vanua and Stephen Wright - both gunners, and members of 58 Battery, 12 Regiment Royal Artillery.

The explosion that killed them took place close to Basra, Iraq, during September 2006.

According to Mr Walker, both men had been unlawfully killed.

"The evidence has been clear that on the balance of probabilities, had a Warrior vehicle been struck, those inside would not have died", he said.

"Before each patrol an officer requested a Warrior but they were required elsewhere ... if they were available, they would have been used", he added.

Human Rights Ruling

Mr Walker's comments came mere days after Judge Andrew Collins' ruling, made last week, that sending troops on tours of duty without satisfactory equipment could constitute a human rights breach.

Following yesterday's verdict, Andrew Wright, Stephen's uncle, commented: "If only they had used the proper equipment, like the coroner said, Stephen would still be alive today.

"It makes me angry but it is not going to bring Stephen back."

Warriors Instead of Land Rovers

Questioned on the issue of Warriors being used instead of Land Rovers, Major Marcus Tivey, Commander of the two deceased soldiers, stated that they "weren't really practical for the task", due to the distances covered during missions (of the kind the two soldiers were on), and their reliability record.

However, if the Warriors were available, he added, then they would have been employed.

Warrant Officer James Howitt was travelling in the same vehicle as the fated soldiers. He said yesterday that a Warrior "would have been perfect for that stretch of road", but, given the overall distance being covered, he would have opted for a Land Rover.

Officers, Howitt added, had made multiple requests for Warriors to be provided, but to no avail.

The MoD stated, after the verdict had been delivered: "The soldiers were in an appropriate vehicle for the task they were conducting and that's what their commanders and colleagues said at the inquest."

Source - Armed Forces International's Political Correspondent

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