The family of Sapper Mark Smith, who was killed in a 'friendly fire' incident in Afghanistan when a mortar shell fell short of its target, has told ITV Meridian that they believe his death was 'preventable' and that the Ministry of Defence's investigation into the incident was 'flawed'.
Sapper Smith served with 36 Engineers in Kent.
Friends and family have been paying tribute to Sapper Mark Smith, from Kent, following an inquest into his death. Captain Douglas Brain was with him when he was hit by a mortar shell.
A coroner has called for a statutory inquiry into 'systematic failures' in the investigation of the death of a British soldier killed by friendly fire in Afghanistan.
Sapper Mark Anthony Smith from Kent, died in the Helmand province in 2010 after a smoke screen shell fell 264 metres from its target.
The inquest at Old Town Hall in Gravesend heard that the investigation into the death of the 26-year-old suffered from missing evidence and incomplete documentation.
Coroner Roger Hatch said it was "unsatisfactory" and he would be reporting the matter to the Ministry of Defence.
There was no one factor that caused the shortfall, but a "number of possibilities or combination of factors", the coroner said.
Sapper Smith, from 36 Engineer Regiment, was serving with the Counter Improvised Explosive Device task-force when he was caught in the blast.
An inquest will be held today into the death of a British soldier who was killed in a suspected friendly fire incident in southern Afghanistan three years ago.
Sapper Mark Antony Smith, 26, from Swanley, Kent, is thought to have died in an explosion after a shell landed short of its intended target on July 26 2010.
The serviceman, from 36 Engineer Regiment, was serving with the Counter Improvised Explosive Device taskforce when he was caught in the blast in the Sangin area of Helmand.
Known to his friends as "Smit" and to his Army colleagues as "Smudge", Sapper Smith was hailed as a soldier who made an "immediate and lasting impression".
He joined the regiment in December 2003 and was described by his commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel Simon Hulme, as a "real character" who "lived life to the full".
Speaking following the tragedy, Lt Col Hulme said: "He had an unrivalled wit and sense of humour; few within the chain of command escaped his proportionally-measured acerbic wit."
Lieutenant Colonel David Southall, commanding officer of the Counter Improvised Explosive Device taskforce, said Sapper Smith hunted out IEDs in the "most deadly areas" on a daily basis after volunteering for his second tour of Afghanistan.
The inquest, which is expected to last five days, will take place at the Old Town Hall, High Street, Gravesend.
Today marks the first day of a four-day inquest into the suspected friendly fire death of 26 year old Sapper Mark Antony Smith from Swanley in Kent.
He is thought to have died in an explosion in Afghanistan after a shell landed short of its target.
Helen Johnston, an aid worker freed in Afghanistan, was taken hostage along with three others in Badakhshan province on May 22.
– Statement from parents of Helen JohnstonWe are delighted and hugely relieved by the wonderful news that Helen and all her colleagues have been freed. We are deeply grateful to everyone involved in her rescue, to those who worked tirelessly on her behalf, and to family and friends for their love, prayers and support over the last twelve days.
David Cameron spoke of his relief earlier at the news that a rescue attempt to free Helen Johnston, an aid worker from Stoke Newington captured by the Taliban, had been successful
Aid worker Helen Johnston from Stoke Newington has been rescued in a military operation after being kidnapped in Afghanistan.
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