Ninety-four former hostages of British Airways flight 149 have launched a civil lawsuit against the UK government and British Airways, alleging they were “deliberately endangered” when the plane was allowed to land in Kuwait during the 1990 Iraqi invasion.
The passengers and crew were held captive for over four months, with some used as human shields during the Gulf War. The lawsuit claims the UK government and British Airways knew of the invasion but permitted the flight to land, allegedly to deploy covert operatives.
Barry Manners, a passenger and claimant, said, “We were treated as expendable pawns for commercial and political gain.” The lawsuit seeks estimated damages of £170,000 ($213,000) each.
British Airways denies accusations of negligence and cover-up, while the UK government has refused to comment on the ongoing case. In 2003, a French court ordered British Airways to pay €1.67 million to French hostages, ruling the airline had “seriously failed in its obligations.”
