Inquest Begins Into the Death of British Soldier

An inquest will begin today into the death of a "rising star" British soldier who was killed alongside two Canadian troops in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan. Captain Ben Babington-Browne, 27, from 22 Engineer Regiment, Royal Engineers, died in the southern Zabal Province on July 6, 2009.

The soldier, of Maidstone, Kent, was travelling in a Griffon helicopter which crashed on take-off at a US forward operating base (FOB) 50 miles north-east of Kandahar.

Relatives, including his mother Nina and brother Daniel, described him as a "fine, handsome, warm, intelligent, loving and hilarious young man"

Capt Babington-Browne managed to achieve almost all the high standards and challenges he set himself with hard work and dedication, they said. In an emotional tribute, his family said they could not come to terms with not ever seeing his "beaming smile" or hear his "cheery voice" again. NATO said the incident which killed Capt Babington-Browne and the two Canadian soldiers was not caused by insurgent fire.

He was described by his senior officers as a "rising star" who had "the world at his feet". A graphic designer before joining the Army, Capt Babington-Browne completed his officer's training at Sandhurst. He became a member of 22 Engineer Regiment in April 2007 and shortly afterwards deployed to Iraq, where he quickly distinguished himself as an "exceptionally gifted leader".

He volunteered for a six-month tour of Afghanistan, working in the headquarters of Nato's Regional Command (South) in Kandahar. The week-long inquest will take place at County Hall, Maidstone.