Lockerbie lawyer urges those impacted by Air India disaster to seek legal advice

A lawyer, who was secretary of the Lockerbie air disaster group, advising families affected by the bombing, has urged those impacted by the Air India disaster to seek legal advice before entering “agreements”.

The Air India flight AI 171 was heading towards Gatwick from Ahmedabad Airport, officially Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, when it crashed minutes after take-off on Thursday.

The aircraft had 244 people on board, from India, Britain, Portugal and Canada, Air India said.

It added that there were 53 British nationals on the flight, one of whom is believed to have survived.

The aircraft was due to land at Gatwick Airport at 6.25pm on Thursday.

Air India’s chairman, Natarajan Chandrasekaran, described the incident as a “tragic accident” and a “devastating event” and said emergency response teams are at the site.

It is the first crash ever of a Boeing 787 aircraft, according to the Aviation Safety Network database.

270 people were killed in the Lockerbie attack. STV News

Solicitor advocate, professor Peter Watson, represented the British victims who died after Pan Am Flight 103, which was travelling from London to New York, exploded over Lockerbie in Dumfries and Galloway.

The attack killed all 259 on board and 11 residents on the ground in the Scottish town.

He has urged families who have lost loved ones in the Air India crash to not agree anything with airlines or insurers before seeking legal advice.

A statement read: “Today’s incident will end up a complex case involving both the manufacturers of the aircraft Boeing and Air India. Almost certainly any claims arising will be dealt with in the United States and it’s important those involved get specialist advice.

“The Boeing 787 Dreamliner has a history of quality-related problems involving battery fires, manufacturing quality control issues, cockpit and autopilot concerns, and all of this will be investigated by air accident specialists to determine where the fault lies, including investigating any possibility of pilot error.”