A BOMB probably caused a plane crash in Iraq which claimed the life of a Fareham soldier, it emerged today.

Acting Lance-Corporal Steven Jones, 25, was among ten servicemen who died when the RAF Hercules plunged into the desert nearly two weeks ago.

Today it was revealed how the plane's entire 65ft right wing had been torn off, sending it into an instant and violent spin.

Sources in Iraq claimed the men on board died in just four seconds as the giant C-130 transport plane disintegrated and turned into a fireball.

What was left of the plane crashed down on to remote marshland 20 miles north-west of Baghdad.

Experts said a bomb planted by terrorists or insurgents was now considered the most likely cause of the crash 12 days ago.

Acting L-Cpl Jones, who served with the Royal Signals based at Blandford Camp in Dorset, was the only soldier aboard the plane, the rest being RAF servicemen.

Eight were from RAF Lyneham in Wiltshire including the pilot, Flight Lieutenant David Stead, 35, who served with 47 Squadron.

Acting L-Cpl Jones had been a passenger on the transport plane, which was on its way to Balad, where about 25,000 US troops are based.

In a statement issued after the tragedy, his family said: "Steve worked hard, played hard and lived life to the max, whether it be skydiving or bungee-jumping. Words will never be able to express the loss that we feel today.

"He was always adventurous, fun-loving and had a wicked sense of humour. Steve will forever be in the hearts of those that knew him best."

The loss of the ten men represented the largest single loss of British life in Iraq since military action began.

A senior RAF officer is now in Iraq to investigate what brought the aircraft down.

An MoD spokesman said the plane had been on a routine transport flight but no information was available as to why a soldier had been aboard.

The al-Jazeera TV channel has since broadcast a video with claims made by insurgents that they shot the plane down.