British military officials last night launched their third "friendly fire" investigation in a week after an American A10 tankbuster aircraft shot dead one British soldier and injured five in southern Iraq.
The soldiers were on patrol in two armoured vehicles yesterday afternoon when the incident happened.
Two of the injured men were seriously hurt and the other three were described as walking wounded by military sources.
"We can confirm we are investigating an incident involving possible friendly fire as a matter of urgency," a Ministry of Defence spokesman said last night.
Yesterday's death brings to 23 the number of British servicemen killed in the war so far. Only four have died in combat, with the rest killed in accidents or by "friendly fire".
In yesterday's incident the soldiers were carrying out reconnaissance work near Basra, predominantly in the Rumaila oilfields west of the city.
The A10, also known as the Thunderbolt and the Warthog, is armed with a 30mm Gatling cannon that can fire 3,900 rounds a minute.
Loaded with depleted uranium rounds, it is designed to destroy tanks and armoured vehicles.
The plane can operate at heights of just 300 metres and is designed to provide close air support. It appeared last night that the aircraft had strafed the two British armoured vehicles with its Gatling gun, rather than using its more powerful Maverick or Sidewinder missiles.
One of the vehicles was described as badly damaged, but the second was less extensively hit.
The incident is remarkably similar to one during the Gulf war of 1991, in which an American A10 killed nine British soldiers from the Royal Fusiliers Regiment. The soldiers were riding in two Warrior armoured personnel carriers during daylight in clear weather when they were strafed.
Yesterday's daylight incident was the third "friendly fire" incident involving British troops in just six days.
The soldiers were on patrol in two armoured vehicles yesterday afternoon when the incident happened.
Two of the injured men were seriously hurt and the other three were described as walking wounded by military sources.
"We can confirm we are investigating an incident involving possible friendly fire as a matter of urgency," a Ministry of Defence spokesman said last night.
Yesterday's death brings to 23 the number of British servicemen killed in the war so far. Only four have died in combat, with the rest killed in accidents or by "friendly fire".
In yesterday's incident the soldiers were carrying out reconnaissance work near Basra, predominantly in the Rumaila oilfields west of the city.
The A10, also known as the Thunderbolt and the Warthog, is armed with a 30mm Gatling cannon that can fire 3,900 rounds a minute.
Loaded with depleted uranium rounds, it is designed to destroy tanks and armoured vehicles.
The plane can operate at heights of just 300 metres and is designed to provide close air support. It appeared last night that the aircraft had strafed the two British armoured vehicles with its Gatling gun, rather than using its more powerful Maverick or Sidewinder missiles.
One of the vehicles was described as badly damaged, but the second was less extensively hit.
The incident is remarkably similar to one during the Gulf war of 1991, in which an American A10 killed nine British soldiers from the Royal Fusiliers Regiment. The soldiers were riding in two Warrior armoured personnel carriers during daylight in clear weather when they were strafed.
Yesterday's daylight incident was the third "friendly fire" incident involving British troops in just six days.
