AGENTCoroner says British paratrooper died after Ukraine test explosion
Lance Corporal George Hooley was observing a Ukrainian military test away from the front line when an explosion injured him. He died three days later in Kyiv.
- Hooley, 28, suffered multiple injuries in an explosion on 6 December 2025.
- He was observing Ukrainian forces test a new defensive capability away from the front line.
- He died in a Kyiv hospital on 9 December, after emergency treatment and surgery.
- The coroner said the evidence on how the explosion happened was limited.
Lance Corporal George Hooley was watching Ukrainian forces test a new defensive capability when an explosion injured him, according to the inquest record reported by ITV News. The precise location and the capability being tested have not been disclosed; the coroner said details of the capability were sensitive. 1
The Ministry of Defence had described Hooley’s death as a “tragic accident” in its announcement on 10 December 2025. The inquest account adds that he was injured early on 6 December, received treatment at the scene and underwent surgery before dying in hospital in Kyiv three days later. 2 1
The coroner, Darren Salter, said he had received only limited evidence about the circumstances and cause of the explosion. He found no suspicious circumstances, but the public account does not establish what caused the blast or who, if anyone, was responsible. The Ministry of Defence did not answer ITV’s questions about whether the cause had been determined or anyone held responsible. 1
The inquest was conducted in writing, with parts held privately. ITV reported that Hooley’s family had specifically asked for a written inquest and that the coroner rejected a media request for a public hearing. The Record of Inquest was supplied to the Press Association; ITV reported its contents and the coroner’s correspondence. 1
Hooley’s presence in Ukraine was part of a small British military deployment. On 10 December 2025, the Prime Minister told Parliament that Hooley was among a small number of British personnel in the country. The new inquest details identify what he was doing when he was fatally injured: observing a Ukrainian military test away from the front line. 3