MoD admission 'could allow compensation for Nimrod victims'

31/03/2009

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has admitted responsibility for the Nimrod explosion in Afghanistan which took the lives of 14 servicemen.

In September 2006 the spy plane caught fire while in the air, which an investigation has now confirmed was due to poor maintenance aboard the aircraft.

Relatives of the victims are now hoping the admission could pave the way to finally making compensation claims for the soldiers' tragic deaths.

The European Convention on Human Rights has been invoked by the families of two of the victims, who claim the RAF's negligence breached the soldiers' right to life.

Lawyers for the families have suggested the compensation payouts could be in the region of six figures.

Barrister John Cooper QC said: "The families want accountability in this case. That is their primary motive for pursuing this matter to the end."

The MoD was recently found to be at fault for the death of sailor Paul McCann, who died aboard a nuclear submarine after "systemic failures" according to coroner Derek Winter, although the family has not yet sought compensation.

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