Airline crash victims in €100m legal case

A legal action, which it’s claimed could lead to a €100m pay-out, is to be taken on behalf of the victims of the Cork Airport plane crash.

Survivors of the crash and the families who lost loved ones are to form an action group to mount an international legal case.

Their lawyers today said they believe they could end up sharing in a nine-figure sum.

However, legal sources in Ireland said such a figure would be alien to the Irish courts.

The case will be taken against the Isle of Man airline Manx2, the Spanish operator Flightline BCN, and the American manufacturers of the craft, Fairchild Swearingen, who are based in Texas.

James Healy-Pratt, partner and head of the aviation department at Stewarts Law in London, said they have been working with the families of those who died and victims of the crash. He hoped the case could be finished in as little as two years. Six people died and six were injured in the February 10 tragedy at Cork Airport when the Manx2 plane crashed on landing in thick fog.

A report on the disaster by the Air Accident Investigation Unit, which is to be released midweek, is to form part of the legal challenge.

The lawyers are also carrying out their own investigation into the disaster.

Mr Healy-Pratt explained the US courts historically have been more sympathetic to the hurt caused to surviving family members compared to courts in Ireland and the UK.

He said: “I can confirm we are putting in place plans for a legal action group for all Manx2 families. We did similar for families in the last Metroliner accident, in Australia in 2005, and we are using the same Chicago Firm of specialist aviation lawyers, Wisner Law LLP.

“Sadly no money will ever bring back anyone from this accident. However, we know from experience that forcing aviation insurers to pay significant sums to families does improve air safety in the long run.”

He added that figures in excess of 75 million have been paid out on previous occasions and that the sum involved this time could easily hit €100m.

Article courtesy of The Evening Echo