Airbus A330 Plane Crash

Officials in Libya have reported that more than 100 passengers have died after an Airbus 330 passenger aircraft crashed when trying to land at Tripoli Airport.

The flight (8U771) from Johannesburg was scheduled to land at Tripoli Airport at 4am GMT and then to fly onto London Gatwick.

Reports suggest there may be one survivor of the crash. The plane, operated by Afriqiyah Airways, was believed to be carrying passengers of various nationalities including Britons.

Irwin Mitchell currently acts for families of people who died in a number of plane crashes around the world, including families of those killed when an Airbus A320 plane crashed off the coast of Perpignan, France in November 2008. We also act for families of passengers killed when another Airbus A330 flying from Rio de Janeiro to Paris crashed in the Atlantic Ocean in June 2009.

Investigations into the two previous Airbus crashes are well advanced. Investigators in Tripoli will already be working to find the cause of the latest incident. Human error and/or mechanical failure are by far the most common causes of plane crashes.

Clive Garner, head of travel law and an expert in aviation disasters at Irwin Mitchell said: “We’re saddened to learn of the loss of yet another passenger plane. It is too early to determine the cause of the crash and any similarities to other recent Airbus crashes, but this will need to be carefully investigated.

“The “black boxes” that record flight data should hold crucial evidence about what caused this tragedy. Investigators will be starting to try and understand what happened and whether any lessons can be learned to improve safety in the future.

“Our thoughts are with the families and friends of those who tragically lost their lives in today’s incident in Tripoli.”