Air industry has ‘head in sand over toxic issue’

THE FAMILY of a British Airways co-pilot who believed he had been poisoned by contaminated cockpit air have accused the airline industry of having its “head in the sand” over the issue.

Richard Westgate, 43, died in 2012 after moving to the Netherlands to seek help from a specialist clinic for his symptoms which he thought were caused by “aerotoxic syndrome”.

The illness has been dubbed the “pilot’s disease”.

A coroner ruled Mr Westgate died accidentally at the Bastion Hotel in Bussum, Netherlands after taking an unintentional overdose of the sleeping tablet pentobarbital.

His family said he had been in “excruciating pain” and suffering from various symptoms, including digestive problems, fatigue, general pain, headaches, loss of cognitive ability, clumsiness and an inability to sense temperature.

Mr Westgate’s mother, Judy, said her son’s illness baffled doctors and accused the airline industry of “denying responsibility” and said they were considering legal action.

She said: “The inquest has ruled he ultimately died of an accidental overdose of a sedative – a sleeping tablet – but the real questions are: What made him so sick in the first place? And do the airline industry have something to hide?”

The week-long inquest in Salisbury, Wiltshire, heard that Mr Westgate, from Marlborough, had been suffering from a nervous system problem which could have caused his symptoms.

At the start of the inquest, Coroner Dr Simon Fox QC ruled that aerotoxic syndrome would not be treated as a factor in the death.

Lobby group Global Cabin Air Quality Executive is campaigning for equipment to be installed in aircraft to monitor air quality.

The group’s research is said to show that this air, known as “bleed air”, can become contaminated with engine oils and hydraulic fluids.