A HAMPSHIRE soldier was among those who died when an RAF Hercules crashed in Iraq.

It is still unclear why the plane plunged into the desert last Sunday with ten UK servicemen aboard.

All of them are missing believed killed including Acting Lance-Corporal Steven Jones, 25, of Fareham.

He served with the Royal Signals based at Blandford Camp in Dorset and was the only soldier aboard.

In a statement last night 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 family would like to request that they and his friends are allowed to grieve together in peace."

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

The Queen has expressed her sympathy to the families of the servicemen and is said to be saddened by the incident.

A senior RAF officer is now in Iraq to investigate what brought the aircraft down 40 kilometres north-west of Baghdad.

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

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

An MoD spokesman said he was not aware of any British troops being based at Balad, but that it was used on occasion by British forces. He said the plane was on a routine transport flight but no information is available as to why the soldier was aboard.

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

The video showed burning wreckage on the ground, although it is uncertain whether the wreckage was that of the Hercules.

CASULATY LIST:

Squadron Leader Patrick Brian Marshall, 39.

Flight Lieutenant David Kevin Stead, 35.

Flight Lieutenant Andrew Paul Smith, 25.

Flight Lieutenant Paul Martin Pardoel, 35.

Master Engineer Gary Nicholson, 42.

Chief Technician Richard Antony Brown, 40.

Flight Sergeant Mark Gibson, 34.

Sergeant Robert Michael O'Connor, 38.

Corporal David Edward Williams, 37.

Acting Lance-Corporal Steven Jones, 25.