Dead British Airways Pilots 'Victims of Toxic Cabin Fumes'

Sunday January 27,2013
By Ted Jeory
 

Two of British Airways’ most talented pilots have died after complaining of years of exposure to toxic oil fumes on board passenger planes.

Karen Lysakowska, 43, was buried last Tuesday, while Richard Westgate, also 43, was laid to rest four days before.

Both believed they had been poisoned by the toxic oil fumes that can contaminate cabin air and which regularly forces pilots to don oxygen masks in order to breathe.

Lawyers for Mr Westgate now want to “give him the trial he never got” by suing the airline in a case they say will be a “moment of truth” for the aviation industry.

They say they are on the cusp of proving in a court of law the existence of “aerotoxic syndrome”, a chronic physical and neurological condition they predict will one day be seen as “the new asbestos”.

Thousands of pilots are currently “unfit to fly”, one specialist doctor believes.

Official records from the Civil Aviation Authority show that oxygen masks are being donned by pilots and crew at the rate of at least five times a week to combat suspected “fume events”.

In some cases, crew members have passed out yet in almost all incidents, passengers are unaware.

The air enters the cabin unfiltered via a bleed pipe off the jet engine where any oil leak at high temperature can cause the release of a dangerous mix of compounds, including potentially toxic organophosphates.

Those most at risk are pilots, cabin crew, other very frequent flyers and people who are genetically susceptible to the toxins.

Read more:   http://www.express.co.uk