Ministry of Defence could face compensation claims

The Ministry of Defence may award millions of pounds in compensation to the families of military servicemen who lost their lives in Iraq.

Ten men were aboard the RAF Hercules aircraft four years ago when it was struck by ground fire outside Baghdad airport and subsequently exploded.

A recent report from the Independent on Sunday suggested that the plane had been suffering from more extensive faults than were previously disclosed - such as faulty anti-missile defences and wings that had exceeded their safe life.

The Ministry of Defence has admitted negligence for the deaths and could be forced to pay large sums of compensation to the victims' families.