Survivors of 1990 Kuwait hostage crisis sue UK government and British Airways for abuse and neglect

Passengers and crew members of British Airways Flight BA149, which was hijacked in Kuwait during the 1990 invasion by Iraqi forces, have initiated legal action against the UK government and the airline. McCue Jury and Partners, a prominent law firm, announced their representation of approximately 50 victims who suffered during the ordeal.

On August 2, 1990, Flight BA149 was en route from London to Kuala Lumpur when it was forced to land in Kuwait shortly after Iraqi troops had invaded the country. Initially, all passengers and crew were accommodated in a hotel for several hours. However, they were subsequently relocated to Baghdad, where Saddam Hussein’s regime used them as human shields against Western attacks.

Some of the 367 passengers and crew members endured captivity for up to four months, during which they were subjected to physical abuse, starvation, and sexual assault, as detailed by the law firm.

Previously, the British government asserted that the responsibility for the hostage crisis rested solely with the Iraqi authorities at the time. British Airways, in turn, claimed to have had no prior knowledge of the impending invasion. Yet, documents released two years ago reveal that the British Embassy had warned the Foreign Office about Iraqi forces crossing into Kuwait. This critical information was never conveyed to British Airways, leading to the flight not being rerouted.

Matthew Jury, a partner at McCue Jury & Partners, stated in British daily The Independent: “The lives and safety of innocent civilians were sacrificed by the British government and British Airways for the benefit of a military operation. Both have hidden and denied the truth for over thirty years. The victims and survivors of Flight BA149 deserve justice for being used as pawns.”

The legal team claims that there is evidence indicating that both the government and British Airways were aware of the invasion’s commencement. According to their account, the aircraft was directed to land in Kuwait as part of an operation to insert a special forces team into the country.

The case is scheduled to be brought before the UK Supreme Court in early 2024. Each victim is seeking an average compensation of £170,000 (approximately €198,000) for their suffering.