More than 25,000 people have signed a petition demanding answers about the 1994 RAF Chinook helicopter crash, as families of the 29 people who lost their lives accuse the Ministry of Defence (MoD) of a cover-up.
The tragedy occurred on June 2, 1994, when an RAF Chinook ZD576, carrying 25 senior intelligence officials and four special forces crew members, crashed on the Mull of Kintyre while traveling from RAF Aldergrove in Northern Ireland to Fort George near Inverness.
The crash, which killed everyone on board, was initially attributed to pilot error—a conclusion that was overturned in 2011.
Momentum for truth and accountability has grown since the BBC aired the documentary "Chinook: Zulu Delta 576" last year, which revealed that the MoD has sealed related files for a century.
In a new petition, the victims’ families are calling for the government to fully release all documents concerning the disaster and to launch a judge-led public inquiry.
They are also urging the Prime Minister to establish a legal "duty of candour" for all public bodies, ensuring families no longer have to fight for transparency.
The petition states: "We have been denied truth, transparency and justice by the Ministry of Defence. Our loved ones were forced to board an RAF helicopter with fatal software flaws that MoD test engineers had deemed 'positively dangerous' and 'not to be relied upon in any way whatsoever'."
The families further allege that key evidence was withheld or ignored, and that former ministers were misled about crucial airworthiness concerns.
The campaign for justice has been bolstered by the BBC’s decision to re-broadcast the two-part documentary.
The Chinook Justice Campaign, formed by relatives of the victims, continues to demand transparency from the MoD.
Dr Susan Phoenix, whose husband Ian was killed in the crash, said the families were united by the documentary to seek truth and justice. She questioned why files related to the crash would be sealed for 100 years, suggesting the decision points to deeper issues within the MoD.
Ms Esme Sparks, who lost her father Major Gary Sparks in the accident, encouraged further support for the petition, calling for new legal safeguards over public body transparency.
She said it’s critical to prevent similar cases of "secrecy and wrongdoing" in the future.
An MOD spokesperson said: “The Mull of Kintyre crash was a tragic accident, and our thoughts and sympathies remain with the families, friends and colleagues of all those who died.
“The accident has already been the subject of six inquiries and investigations, including an independent Judge-led review.”
They added," The closed records held at The National Archives contain personal information relating to third-party individuals. The early release of this information would breach those individuals’ data protection rights.”