Gerona crash verdict expected

The incident occured in Gerona in 1999

Passengers on a plane which crash-landed at a Spanish airport four years ago are waiting to hear if they can sue their holiday company for psychological damage.

More than 70 travellers from Wales have made claims for distress caused by the accident in September 1999.

The Boeing 757 was carrying 236 holidaymakers from Cardiff when it crash landed in Gerona in a heavy thunderstorm.

On Tuesday, a County Court judge in Cardiff will rule whether the passengers can pursue their damages claim.

He will decide if Thomson Holiday Ltd and Britannia Airways Ltd, are liable for the psychological injuries suffered as a result of the crash.

Peter Evans - a partner at Hugh James, the leading solicitors acting for the crash survivors - explained that most passengers had already settled their claims.

"The majority of their injuries were purely physical - there has never been any controversy as to whether they should be paid for that," he said.

"The controversy is whether the passengers can recover damages for psychological injuries - for trauma.

"The group that are left are the most severely affected."

Nightmares

The plane twice hit the ground - and then skidded into a field breaking into three places.

One man from south Wales later died.

The passengers say they are still suffering nightmares and flashbacks.

One is still so frightened she says she is unable to fly abroad to see her family.

The Civil Aviation Authority is still investigating what went wrong, but a criminal investigation cleared the pilot of any blame.