It is reported that a UK government inquiry blames BAE Systems and QinetiQ for safety failings that caused an explosion on a RAF Nimrod reconnaissance plane over Afghanistan in 2006, killing all 14 on board.

The report, prepared by Charles Haddon-Cave, a lawyer, said BAE assessed the safety of Nimrods between 2001 and 2005, assisted by QinetiQ. The results were "a lamentable job from start to finish," the report concluded. "The company demonstrated incompetence, complacency and cynicism," Haddon-Cave told reporters."The responsibility for this must lie with the leadership of the company."

According to Haddon-Cave's report, BAE spent a "significant amount" of time "building a wall of denial and obfuscation, which the review has had to dismantle."

"The cause of the accident will never finally be determined," BAE said in an e-mailed statement. "The company will consider and assess how best to support the Ministry of Defence in the implementation of the recommendations for improving processes to further enhance the operational safety of aircraft in military use."

QinetiQ said "given the breadth and depth of Mr. Haddon-Cave's report, QinetiQ wishes to take time to digest the report fully before making any detailed response, We want to emphasize that QinetiQ will seek to learn from all that the report says."

The servicemen died when the 37-year-old aircraft exploded minutes after a mid-air refueling operation. The report says the explosion was most likely caused by a fuel overflow during the procedure.