Families of the victims of the Ahmedabad plane crash who were based in the United Kingdom may reportedly file lawsuits in the UK against Air India and aircraft manufacturer Boeing.
The legal action is being considered to seek enhanced compensation for the loss of lives in the tragic incident, India Today reported, citing unnamed sources.
Air India Flight AI-171 – a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner – crashed shortly after take-off from the Ahmedabad airport on June 12, claiming the lives of 241 people onboard, with just one survivor. Apart from the passengers, 19 people were killed on the ground after the flight crashed into a medical college on the outskirts of the airport.
Among the deceased onboard the flight, 181 were Indian nationals while 52 were from the UK.
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The families of the victims are reportedly in discussions with two international law firms – UK-based Keystone Law and US-domiciled Wisner Law Firm, according to The Economic Times.
In the aftermath of the crash, the Tata Group had announced a compensation of ₹1 crore to the families of the victims, later giving an additional compensation of ₹25 lakh for immediate medical expenses.
“We are looking carefully at the evidence, as well as considering whether to file legal proceedings in the US courts against Boeing, together with similar proceedings against Air India in the High Court in London,” The Economic Times quoted James Healy-Pratt, partner at Keystone Law, as saying.
He further said Article 33 of the Montreal Convention also permits families to pursue claims in the US or the UK if the airline is operating there or if the victims have ties to these countries.
The law firm also said apart from this, Articles 17 and 21 of the convention put unlimited liability on the airline, in cases of passengers deaths or injuries, The Economic Times report added.
Meanwhile, Keystone’s team is also looking at Air India’s insurer Tata AIG’s early settlement offers to the families of the victims, while conducting a technical probe on the Ahmedabad crash.
