War risk insurers for British Airways have secured compensation for the loss of a commercial aircraft destroyed during the 1991 liberation of Kuwait International Airport from Iraqi forces in 1991.
War risk insurers of British Airways have secured compensation for the loss of a commercial aircraft destroyed during the 1991 liberation of Kuwait International Airport from Iraqi forces in 1991.
Insurers of the Boeing 747 have recovered $17.5m (£12.1m), through international law firm Clyde & Co, from the United Nations Compensation Commission (UNCC), set up to process claims after the liberation of Kuwait.
In early August 1990, the aircraft made a scheduled stop in Kuwait en route from London to Kuala Lumpur, shortly before invading Iraqi forces gained control of Kuwait International Airport. Passengers and crew were detained and the aircraft impounded.
Although eventually released, Saddam Hussein used some passengers and crew as human shields for several months.
Clyde & Co partner Stephen Tricks said: "After a very difficult year for the aviation war risks insurance market, this is good news.
"Over the past eight years we have had extensive discussions with the UNCC on factual, legal and political issues on this and other similar claims.
"I am particularly pleased that our clients' patience and perseverance have been rewarded."
Clyde & Co is also pursuing a much larger claim on behalf of war risks insurers of Kuwait Airways Corporation, which lost 15 aircraft plus spares and equipment, on Iraq's invasion of Kuwait. A decision is expected during 2002.
The law firm also recovered $4.8m (£3.3m) for the insurers of two vessels impounded by Iraq in 1990.
