Pilots suffered from cancer, British Ministry

Under British military pilots and crew members there is apparently a striking accumulation of cancer. Dozens of current and former members of the armed forces have received a cancer diagnosis, reports the BBC.

The diseases are said to be related to toxic dampens that were released in the helicopters. Those affected therefore want to achieve compensation payments from the British Ministry of Defense. The Ministry has so far officially denied a connection and has carried out investigations to prove that the motor emissions of the helicopters are harmless to health.

Those affected had already sued the Ministry of Defense last year. The BBC now reported a law firm of 180 clients who wanted to hold the state responsible. In at least six cases, extrajudicial agreements are said to have occurred. According to a report by the “Times”, the cancer that are supposed to be related to the military helicopters have already requested some fatalities.

So the sergeant Zach Stubbings succumbed to his cancer at the beginning of the year. He was 47 years old. At the age of 33, he found an incurable form of blood cancer, which otherwise usually appears in men from 65. Season leader Kai Macnaughton died only three weeks after his blood vessel diagnosis at the age of 53. It is not known for which sum and their families have agreed with the government.

“The people I represent were exposed to this toxic damping unnecessarily without their own fault over long periods – and thousands of flight hours,” said lawyer Louisa Donaghy of the BBC. “This could have been prevented if the Ministry of Defense had provided additional personal protective equipment such as filter masks that would have reduced and reduced the burden.”

There are four helicopters of the British armed forces who have been deployed since 1969. One of them was in action until March of this year, another is still used. Exhaust gases or escaping hydraulic fluid are said to have led to health damage to crew members. This includes lung cancer, larynx cancer, testicular cancer and rare forms of blood cancer. There are said to have been the first warnings as early as 1999, but apparently did not pursue.