British Airways Faces Legal Battle Over Hijacking Incident

In 1990, a British Airways flight en route to Kuala Lumpur was hijacked during Saddam Hussein's invasion of Kuwait. Passengers and crew, totaling 367 individuals, were diverted to Kuwait and held captive for over four months, used as human shields during the Gulf War.

Now, ninety-four affected passengers and crew have filed a civil claim in the High Court in London. They allege that the UK government and British Airways knowingly endangered civilians by allowing the flight to land in Kuwait for covert military operations, risking lives for political and commercial gains.

The claimants suffered severe physical and psychological trauma during their captivity, asserting that they were treated as expendable assets rather than citizens. Recent disclosures revealed that warnings about the invasion were not relayed to British Airways, raising concerns about passenger safety.

While the UK government has not commented on the legal proceedings, British Airways denies any wrongdoing, stating they were unaware of the invasion beforehand. In a previous case, a French court ordered the airline to compensate French hostages from the same flight for failing in their duty of care.

The legal battle over the British Airways flight hijacking sheds light on the complexities of international incidents and the responsibilities of governments and airlines towards passenger safety. The survivors' quest for justice highlights the need for transparency and accountability in such critical situations.