Lockerbie lawyer urges those impacted by Air India disaster to seek legal advice
A lawyer, who was secretary of the Lockerbie air disaster group, advising families affected by the bombing, has urged those impacted by the Air India disaster to seek legal advice before entering 'agreements'.
The Air India flight AI 171 was heading towards Gatwick from Ahmedabad Airport, officially Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, when it crashed minutes after take-off on Thursday.
The aircraft had 244 people on board, from India, Britain, Portugal and Canada, Air India said.
It added that there were 53 British nationals on the flight, one of whom is believed to have survived.
The aircraft was due to land at Gatwick Airport at 6.25pm on Thursday.
Air India's chairman, Natarajan Chandrasekaran, described the incident as a 'tragic accident' and a 'devastating event' and said emergency response teams are at the site.
It is the first crash ever of a Boeing 787 aircraft, according to the Aviation Safety Network database. STV News 270 people were killed in the Lockerbie attack.
Solicitor advocate, professor Peter Watson, represented the British victims who died after Pan Am Flight 103, which was travelling from London to New York, exploded over Lockerbie in Dumfries and Galloway.
The attack killed all 259 on board and 11 residents on the ground in the Scottish town.
He has urged families who have lost loved ones in the Air India crash to not agree anything with airlines or insurers before seeking legal advice.
A statement read: 'Today's incident will end up a complex case involving both the manufacturers of the aircraft Boeing and Air India. Almost certainly any claims arising will be dealt with in the United States and it's important those involved get specialist advice.
'The Boeing 787 Dreamliner has a history of quality-related problems involving battery fires, manufacturing quality control issues, cockpit and autopilot concerns, and all of this will be investigated by air accident specialists to determine where the fault lies, including investigating any possibility of pilot error.'
Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News
Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
North Wales Live
21 minutes ago
- North Wales Live
Hard border between Wales and England to halt deadly disease could be 'costly and futile'
Livestock farmers in Wales face hard border arrangements with England in what some believe is a futile attempt to halt the advance of a deadly disease. The industry fears being crippled by the need to test and licence vast numbers of sheep and cattle when they cross the border into England. Unlike England, Wales is still free of bluetongue, a viral disease that cause ulcers around the animal's mouth and face. In the Netherlands, tens of thousands of sheep have died and British farmers fear worse could happen in the UK. In an attempt to contain the virus' spread, an England-wide restricted zone (RZ) is to be imposed from July 1. In practice this means existing movement controls will be eased with farmer encouraged to use new bluetongue vaccines instead. The Welsh Government is reluctant to follow suit, fearing a freedom-of-movement regime will hasten bluetongue's spread into the country. Instead, Cardiff wants to keep the virus at bay 'for as long as we can' and so has opted not to apply an RZ in the county. But the Welsh farming sector has warned the implications could be 'catastrophic' for cross-border trade. Some 550 cross-border agri businesses and straddle the Wales-England border and each year tens of thousands of animals are shipped out to livestock markets. It also has major implications for July's Royal Welsh Show, Europe's largest agri showcase and the biggest annual event in Wales. Livestock exhibitors from England and Scotland will now be unable to attend, slashing the cattle entry by 40%. Refunds are being processed. Urging Cardiff to align Wales with England, the industry has branded the looming arrangements as both 'a futile endeavour and wholly impractical'. FUW president Ian Rickman said farmers' first instincts were to keep any disease out of Wales – but in this case the solution could be economically disastrous. Mr Rickman said midges carrying the disease are likely to blow into Wales regardless of England's RZ. He said the insects 'do not respect any such boundaries' and the RZ will hasten the spread of bluetongue to Wales anyway. 'The on-farm practicalities involved with adhering to this policy position brings with it a wealth of barriers and complications,' he said. 'The mechanics of issuing licences in a timely manner, arranging and conducting pre-movement sampling and testing, co-ordinating haulage and the extortionate costs and disruption to cross-border holdings and trade – it is feared that the decision to hold back the tide will be entirely unattainable and impractical.' While Bluetongue serotype 3 (BTV-3) poses a serious threat to cattle, sheep, goats deer and alpacas across the UK, it does not affect humans or compromise food safety. Deputy First Minister Huw Irranca-Davies said he had agonised over the decision. On balance, it was the lesser of two evils, he said, adding: 'I cannot in all conscience invite Bluetongue into Wales on 1st July through aligning with the RZ in England. 'I am unwilling to risk the uncertain impact of the disease in livestock dense areas like the Welsh borders. I am also extremely concerned about the economic and farmer wellbeing impacts of dealing with sick animals, and the livestock productivity and fertility losses associated with severe Bluetongue, as observed in many affected European countries.' By setting up border arrangements, it's hoped this will buy time for Welsh farmers to vaccinate their animals against the disease. If Bluetongue does arrive in Wales anyway, disease controls will be implemented. Being a fast-changing situation, Mr Irranca-Davies pledged to 'adapt to the evolving disease situation'. NFU Cymru president Aled Jones said Welsh farmers were 'extremely worried' about the disease - but also about the containment and testing strategy. He said: 'We have significant concerns about the lack of resources and testing capacity within the laboratories and APHA (Animal and Plant Health Agency) given the significant amount of stock that move across the border from England to Wales for management, welfare and trading purposes. 'We understand that going forward the costs of testing will be borne by the farmer, which will cause a huge increase to the cost of trading. Sign up for the North Wales Live newsletter sent twice daily to your inbox 'We are about to enter an extremely important time of the year in the farming calendar, with many farmers looking to trade breeding stock and store stock ahead of the autumn and winter months. 'For many herds and flocks, the opportunity to trade breeding stock, both those looking to purchase or sell stock, only comes once a year and this trade is critical. Welsh Government must ensure that a sustainable solution is found as soon as possible.'
Daily Record
21 minutes ago
- Daily Record
Aldi's Scottish gin under £20 named 'best in the world' at awards ceremony
The Scottish-made gin wowed a panel of expert judges with its "elegant" and "classic" flavour profile. Aldi's Còmhla Scottish Gin has been something of a trailblazer. Since its launch a couple of years ago, it has racked up multiple awards and glowing praise. And now it has another win under its belt, as the budget-friendly tipple has just taking home the coveted title as the World's Best Classic Gin at the prestigious World Gin Awards 2025. The acclaimed awards ceremony recognises the very best of the best across a range of lucrative brands, with the German discounter's gin beating out tough competition from over 20 countries including USA, Germany and China. Retailing at a humble £19.99 for a 70cl bottle, the Còmhla Scottish Gin ensures that gin lovers and shoppers will be able to bag premium quality at an affordable price. After a rigorous blind tasting of hundreds of entries across the globe, Aldi's Scottish-made London dry gin managed to wow the expert judging panel with its "elegant" and "classic" flavour profile. The World Gin Awards' description for Aldi's win read: "This gin presents a shy yet clean nose with a hint of dusty elegance and a subtle woody note reminiscent of moss. On the palate, it showcases a classic blend of juniper, coriander, and citrus, accompanied by chilli heat and slight bitterness. While the flavours are complex, they lack full integration, leading to a balanced yet somewhat short and dry finish." Aldi's Còmhla is a classic London dry gin that is crafted in small batches, boasting a well-balanced blend of notes including juniper, coriander and citrus, rounded off with a hint of bitterness. Despite only being launched in 2023, it has already been the subject of significant praise from experts, scooping prizes for its quality and flavour profile and multiple prestigious ceremonies. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. The Scottish-made gin previously bagged the coveted 'Gold' award in the 'premium' Gin Masters category of the 2024 Spirits Business Awards, a ceremony championed by leading spirits specialists. Before it managed to nab the most recent title as "the best in the world", it was previously named "the best in the country" at the 2025 World Drink Awards. Graham Nicolson, Group Buying Director at Aldi Scotland, said: "We have had an incredible response for Còmhla both from our loyal customers and the wider drinks industry. To be named the Best Classic Gin in the world is the ultimate honour. "Scotland may be small, but we consistently punch above our weight on the world food and drink stage. To be able to compete at such as high standard and to win, is testament to the craftsmanship and skill of our homegrown suppliers, and to the strength of the longstanding partnerships we have formed with them." Aldi's Còmhla Scottish Gin joins a cabinet of award-winning tipples that can be purchased from Aldi, as the supermarket's Haysmith's Seville Orange & Persian Lime Gin was also voted 'Best in the County' at the same gin awards ceremony in 2024. Costing just £14.99 for a 70cl, this trendy, citrus-based drink isn't just an award-winner, but it is also 46 percent cheaper than Tanqueray's popular Flor De Sevilla Orange which it has been compared to. Aldi's best in the world Còmhla Scottish Gin(70cl) retails at £19.99 and can be bought in all 109 stores across Scotland.
The National
26 minutes ago
- The National
Robert Burns-linked estate to be turned into whisky distillery
Stirling Council has granted planning permission to Organic Architects, specialists in sustainable distilleries, for the development of a small-scale distillery at Auchenbowie, near Bannockburn. The distillery will be built within the neglected walled garden of the A Listed Auchenbowie House, a property steeped in history. READ MORE: Supermarket's Scottish gin named 'best in the world' at top awards ceremony Once home to a 17th century laird who fled the country after a fatal duel, the house has welcomed notable figures including Robert Burns, who visited in 1787 and noted the occasion in his journal. Bari Reid, director at Organic Architects, said: 'Receiving approval for this project is an important milestone, and we're excited to begin the work of bringing the Auchenbowie walled garden back into use. 'For decades, this area has stood empty and overgrown – but it has immense potential. Our design celebrates the character of the site and the rich history of the estate, while also delivering something new and relevant for today. 'The distillery buildings will sit within the garden walls like elegant Victorian greenhouses. At the heart of the design is a glass house overlooking a water garden, which doubles as a cooling system for the distillation process. 'It's a project where sustainability, heritage and craftsmanship come together — and we can't wait to see it take shape.' READ MORE: Return of MV Caledonian Isles delayed again due to last minute issue The approved development represents a multi-million pound investment in the area and is expected to create 15 direct jobs, with further opportunities through the wider local economy — particularly in agriculture, logistics, and hospitality. The design of the distillery draws heavily on traditional forms, carefully balanced with contemporary elements. A new organic garden will be planted within the walled area, adding to the site's biodiversity while supplying botanicals for spirit production. The Auchenbowie project signals a welcome revival of distilling in a region that helped shape the early story of Scotch whisky. Construction is expected to begin in 2026, with the distillery anticipated to start producing spirit in 2027.
