94 plaintiffs have filed a civil suit at the High Court in London against the British government and British Airways for damages over an incident that happened more than 30 years ago. In August 28, 1990, passengers and crew members of a British Airways flight were taken hostage in Iraqi-occupied Kuwait while on their way from London to Kuala Lumpur. The plaintiffs claim that London and British Airways were aware of a possible Iraqi invasion but allowed the plane to land anyway.
One plaintiff stated that they were treated as expendable henchmen for commercial and political purposes, and that responsibility for the ordeal had been covered up for years. The law firm representing the plaintiffs has stated that they could claim an estimated average of £170,000 in compensation per person. The legal battle continues as the plaintiffs seek accountability for their traumatic experience.
In November 2021, British government files revealed that the British ambassador to Kuwait had warned of a possible Iraqi invasion on the night of August 2nd, 1990, but this information was not passed on to British Airways. The airline has consistently denied accusations of negligence, conspiracy, and cover-up. However, in a previous lawsuit, the passengers had accused the British government of knowingly endangering their safety by using the flight to deploy agents and delaying takeoff.
The then Foreign Secretary and previous British governments denied these claims. In this new lawsuit, the plaintiffs are seeking justice for severe physical and psychological damage suffered by them during their captivity in Kuwait. They hope that a victory in court will help restore trust in the political and legal process.
This legal battle is expected to be long drawn out as both parties present their case before judges at the High Court in London.
