Ahmedabad plane crash: UK law firm representing victims' kin flags two main concerns, seeks immediate reply
PTC Web Desk: A major London law firm, Keystone Law, is representing several British families who lost loved ones in the tragic Air India AI171 plane crash that occurred three weeks ago near Ahmedabad. The crash, involving a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, killed 260 persons, including 52 British nationals. The firm is seeking answers to two crucial questions as part of the ongoing investigation into the incident.
Keystone Law has announced that it is focused on two main concerns: the cause of the Ram Air Turbine (RAT) deployment, and the loss of engine thrust during takeoff. The firm's aviation experts believe that the RAT may have deployed automatically, indicating a serious systems failure at a critical moment during the flight's takeoff.
James Healy-Pratt and Owen Hanna, partners at Keystone Law, are working with around 20 British families. They are also in contact with the lawyers representing Air India and the airline's aviation insurers. The focus is on understanding what happened during the crash and dealing with the legal processes, including compensation.
"We are guiding the families through the legal processes in the UK and the US," Healy-Pratt said. "We are waiting for the preliminary report, which is expected later this month, and we hope it will provide more information on why the RAT deployed and why both engines lost thrust."
The law firm is preparing for possible legal actions, including court cases in either the High Court in London or the US Federal Court in Virginia, depending on the evidence. The families of the victims want answers and are hoping the black boxes from the plane will shed light on the events leading up to the crash.
The crash occurred on June 12, when the Air India AI171 flight, en route to London Gatwick Airport, crashed shortly after takeoff from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad. The crash caused the deaths of all but one of the 242 passengers and crew on board, as well as 19 deaths on the ground after the plane hit a hostel building near BJ Medical College.
UK's Air Accidents Investigation Branch and Disaster Victim Identification teams are assisting Indian authorities with both the technical investigation and the DNA identification of victims.
Keystone Law started by advising the British families affected but has since also been contacted by families in India seeking assistance.
- With inputs from agencies
