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| Lord Ballyedmond was suing helicopter manufacturer | Lord Ballyedmond was suing helicopter manufacturer |
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| A Northern Ireland peer who was killed along with three other men after one of his luxury helicopters crashed in thick fog near a village on the Norfolk-Suffolk border was suing the aircraft's manufacturer, it has emerged. | A Northern Ireland peer who was killed along with three other men after one of his luxury helicopters crashed in thick fog near a village on the Norfolk-Suffolk border was suing the aircraft's manufacturer, it has emerged. |
| Lord Ballyedmond, a businessman better known as Edward Haughey, issued a writ last year through his charter business Haughey Air against AgustaWestland in relation to a "faulty helicopter". | Lord Ballyedmond, a businessman better known as Edward Haughey, issued a writ last year through his charter business Haughey Air against AgustaWestland in relation to a "faulty helicopter". |
| Norbrook Laboratories, the veterinary pharmaceuticals company headed up by Ballyedmond, confirmed yesterday that he had been killed when the AgustaWestland AW139 helicopter crashed in Gillingham at about 7.30pm on Thursday. | |
| It identified the three other victims as pilots captain Carl Dickerson and captain Lee Hoyle, and Declan Small, a foreman with Norbrook, and expressed its "sincere sadness" at the deaths. | |
| The helicopter had taken off from Gillingham Hall, a stately home owned by Ballyedmond. Police were intending to remove the bodies from the scene of the crash on Friday, while the Air Accidents Investigation Branch and forensic officers were gathering evidence to try to establish the cause of the accident. | |
| According to Fountain Court Chambers, proceedings against the Anglo-Italian company AgustaWestland were issued last year in relation to an "alleged contract to repurchase a faulty helicopter", suggesting that Ballyedmond wanted to return it to the manufacturer. | According to Fountain Court Chambers, proceedings against the Anglo-Italian company AgustaWestland were issued last year in relation to an "alleged contract to repurchase a faulty helicopter", suggesting that Ballyedmond wanted to return it to the manufacturer. |
| It has not been possible to confirm whether the helicopter that crashed on Thursday was the subject of the writ. Visibility was reported to be poor in the area on Thursday night, but it is not yet known whether fog was a factor in the crash. | It has not been possible to confirm whether the helicopter that crashed on Thursday was the subject of the writ. Visibility was reported to be poor in the area on Thursday night, but it is not yet known whether fog was a factor in the crash. |
| A spokesman for AgustaWestland said he was unable to confirm that Haughey Air had issued legal proceedings against it but said the company was doing all it could to assist the investigation into the crash. "We have sent relevant people from our staff to support the investigation and we will do what we can best do to help the investigation," he said. | A spokesman for AgustaWestland said he was unable to confirm that Haughey Air had issued legal proceedings against it but said the company was doing all it could to assist the investigation into the crash. "We have sent relevant people from our staff to support the investigation and we will do what we can best do to help the investigation," he said. |
| Ballyedmond, Northern Ireland's richest person, served in the House of Lords in Britain and the Seanad in Ireland. | |
| Fellow peer and Conservative party co-chairman Lord Feldman said: "I was incredibly sad to hear the news of the death of Lord Ballyedmond. His career in business was a remarkable success story. He was a great friend to our party, and a loyal and supportive colleague in parliament. Our sincere condolences go out to his family and friends at this difficult time." | |
| Ulster Unionist peer Lord Empey, who has known the Haughey family for 25 years, said: "This tragic accident has cut short the life of a man who had still much to give." | Ulster Unionist peer Lord Empey, who has known the Haughey family for 25 years, said: "This tragic accident has cut short the life of a man who had still much to give." |
| Norbrook paid tribute to Ballyedmond's "extraordinary legacy in establishing Norbrook as a global veterinary and pharmaceutical industry leader", adding: "Our thoughts are with the immediate families and friends of the deceased." | Norbrook paid tribute to Ballyedmond's "extraordinary legacy in establishing Norbrook as a global veterinary and pharmaceutical industry leader", adding: "Our thoughts are with the immediate families and friends of the deceased." |
| Prime minister David Cameron said: "Lord Ballyedmond was a towering figure in Northern Irish business life, and passionate about peace and good relations north and south, east and west. He was a larger-than-life figure who was a great supporter of the Conservative party and a good friend to me." | |
| A cordon was in place around the crash site on Friday, and several roads were closed to allow the area to be searched for debris. | A cordon was in place around the crash site on Friday, and several roads were closed to allow the area to be searched for debris. |