Service held at Southend Parish Church in remembrance of RAF Chinook helicopter crash victims

A memorial service was held at Southend Parish Church to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the tragic RAF Chinook helicopter crash on the Mull of Kintyre peninsula, Scotland, which claimed the lives of 29 people in 1994. The ceremony, attended by family, friends, and colleagues of the deceased, was a poignant tribute to the dedication of the passengers and crew members who lost their lives.

A service was held at Southend Parish Church to mark the 30th anniversary of the RAF Chinook helicopter crash on June 2, 1994. The crash took place on the Mull of Kintyre peninsula, Scotland, killing 29 people who were on their way from RAF Aldergrove, near Belfast, to a security conference in Inverness. The ceremony on Sunday, organized by Rev Steven Sass with support from Rev Colin Bell, senior chaplain of the 38th (Irish) Brigade, was attended by family, friends, and colleagues of the deceased.

Rev Roddy McNidder, the parish minister at the time of the crash, led the service, highlighting the dedication of the 25 passengers and four crew members. A memorial cairn stands at the crash site to honor those who died. The cause of the crash remains unclear, though a 2011 review found that the pilots, initially blamed for gross negligence, should not have been held responsible.