Personal injury compensation awarded to Nimrod victims’ families

Posted 03/10/2010

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has awarded personal injury compensation to the families of servicemen who died in a Nimrod crash over Afghanistan in 2006.

Some 14 personnel had been taking part in operations when a fuel leak caused a massive explosion, bringing the aircraft down and killing all those on board.

A number of investigations found that there had been significant safety failures within the vehicle due to a design fault and criticised the MoD for putting financial targets ahead of soldiers’ safety.

Last year, the MoD admitted to failing to implement safety procedures which could have saved the troops’ lives and in a new development, reports in the Mail on Sunday state that the victims’ families have been paid £15 million in personal injury compensation.

Three more cases have yet to be concluded.

“Where there is a legal liability to pay compensation we do so,” said a spokesperson from the MoD.