Army driver says sorry to relatives
An unqualified driver at the wheel of an Army Land Rover when it crashed killing three soldiers has made a dramatic apology to the families of the victims at a Black Country inquest into the tragedy.
An unqualified driver at the wheel of an Army Land Rover when it crashed killing three soldiers has made a dramatic apology to the families of the victims at a Black Country inquest into the tragedy.
Royal Artillery gunner Ken Laga, aged 22, from Bewdley Hill, Kidderminster, died alongside comraders Craig Smith and Craig Atkinson in the smash near their barracks at Gutersloh in Germany.
Gunner Robert Buchan, the only person to survive the road accident in which no other vehicle was involved, turned to face the bereaved after giving evidence to the hearing in Dudley yesterday and said: "I am really sorry. If I could do anything to make it right I would. You have my condolences. I am really, really sorry for everything that has happened."
Black Country coroner Robin Balmain had earlier issued a public warning when Gunner Buchan was verbally abused during an adjournment in the proceedings.
Mr Balmain told the solicitor representing the families of the three dead soldiers: "Please make clear to all concerned that it is contempt of court to abuse this witness and I will take action if it happens again."
Gunner Buchan denied lying about the crash. He said "something like a rabbit" ran into the road making him lose control of the Land Rover as he swerved to avoid the animal.
A German motorist who saw the incident insisted nothing was in the road before the Army vehicle careered into a ditch.
Buchan rejected a suggestion from the coroner he had invented the animal in a bid to dodge blame for the crash. The soldier was switched from guard duty to drive the Land Rover at the last minute because the man chosen for the job was unavailable. A staff sergeant ignored a warning from Buchan that he did not feel confident driving the vehicle, the inquest heard.
The gunner had never been behind the wheel of a left-hand drive military vehicle on German roads and received an official Army permit to drive in that country despite not completing the necessary training.
He got lost on the 10 mile trip between two barracks with his three passengers and was breaking the speed limit for Army Land Rovers while accelerating away from a long bend when disaster struck in good conditions on August 31 2005.
A pathologist ruled that all three victims had died from multiple injuries. The inquest continues.
