Family of geologist killed on doomed flight to sue airline
THE family of a Carmarthen man who died in a plane crash are suing the company behind the doomed flight that ended his life.
On May 18, 2016, father-of two Richard Osman boarded EgyptAir flight MS804 in Paris. He was travelling to Cairo for work just two weeks after the birth of his second child.
Just a few hours later, the 40-yearold was presumed dead after the flight disappeared from air traffic control screens in the early hours of Thursday, May 19.
It soon transpired that the flight had made two sharp turns before plunging into the eastern Mediterranean Sea.
Debris from the plane’s wreckage was later found floating in the water north of the Egyptian city of Alexandria.
Mystery surrounded the incident and the cause of the crash has never been fully explained, but it soon became clear that all 66 people on board – made up of 56 passengers and 10 crew – had died.
Thirty of those who died were Egyptians, 15 were French, and two were from Iraq.
Others who perished were from Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Chad, Portugal, Belgium, Algeria, Canada, and one was from Wales – Mr Osman, a geologist who grew up in Carmarthen and attended Llangunnor Primary School, before moving up to QE Cambria in Johnstown.
Speaking at the time, Mr Osman’s brother Alastair, who was a student at Swansea University, said: “Richard was a very kind person, loving person, very focused.
“He was a workaholic and never deviated from the straight path.”
Now, almost two years after the fatal crash, Mr Osman’s widow Aurelie, together with their two daughters, have decided to sue EgyptAir for damages.
However, the location of the crash and Mr Osman’s place of residence at the time of his death could pose problems in the family’s battle.
As the plane went down around 180 miles north of Alexandria in Egypt, and Mr Osman was a resident of Jersey, which is not part of the UK, EgyptAir has stated that British courts have “no jurisdiction” to consider the claim.
The case was heard in London’s High Court yesterday where the International Air Transport Association (IATA) sought permission to take part in the proceedings.
The body said they had a “very considerable interest” in the issues raised by the case.
The case was adjourned by Mrs Justice Lambert and is expected to return to court in May.