RAF Hercules crashes north of Baghdad killing ten

A British Royal Air Force C-130K Hercules transport aircraft crashed 30 km north of Baghdad in Iraq yesterday, killing ten service people.

The aeroplane was flying from Baghdad International Airport to the U.S. airbase at Balad, when it crashed at approximately 1635 local time.

The Royal Airforce at RAF Lyneham has confirmed that ten British servicemen were killed in the crash: Sqn Ldr Patrick Marshall, Flt Lt David Stead, Flt Lt Andrew Smith, Flt Lt Paul Pardoel, Master Engineer Gary Nicholson, Ch Tech Richard Brown, Flt Sgt Mark Gibson, Sgt Robert O'Connor, Cpl David Williams all of the Royal Air Force and Acting L/Cpl Steven Jones of the British Army Royal Signals. The UK Ministry of Defence has said that the aircraft was on a routine transport flight.

Flt Lt Paul Pardoel was an Australian born Navigator serving with 47 Squadron Lyneham of the British RAF. Flt Lt Pardoel is Australia's first casualty in Iraq.

The cause of the crash is unknown and is under investigation.