Nimrod aircraft grounded by MoD

[Rockville]

All Nimrod aircraft that have not had a vital safety modification are to be grounded by the Ministry of Defence, the BBC has learned.
The Nimrods, all based overseas, will be withdrawn on 31 March in order to replace engine bay hot air ducts.
The MoD has said there will be no impact on operations.
The move follows the deaths of 14 servicemen in a Nimrod crash in 2006. The coroner at their inquest called for the entire fleet to be grounded.
The accident, involving an aircraft based at RAF Kinloss in Moray, happened shortly after air-to-air refuelling when leaking fuel came into contact with a hot air pipe.
At the inquest last year, Coroner Andrew Walker said the aircraft had "never been airworthy".
Nimrods currently flying in the UK will be not be affected by the withdrawal, which is expected to last until early summer.
The MoD said there would be no operational impact in Afghanistan because they plan to use other UK and coalition aircraft to cover any shortfall.
But the BBC understands there could be an impact on training in Britain.

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Published: 2009/03/09 13:14:20 GMT