A British
Airways pilot who died at 43 after complaining he was being poisoned by
toxic fumes on passenger planes may have been right, according to new
research.
Richard
Westgate, from Edinburgh, suffered years of ill health including severe
headaches, mental confusion, sight problems and insomnia before he died
in December 2012 at the age of 43.
Just
before he died, he instructed lawyers to sue BA for health and safety
breaches, convinced his problems were related to his being exposed to
toxic chemicals on board the planes he flew.
Now,
new scientific research has provided compelling evidence that exposure
to cockpit air contaminated with hazardous organophosphates caused his
death.
Lawyer Frank
Cannon, who was instructed by Mr Westgate before his death, said: 'We
believe that constant exposure to fuel leaks in planes contributed to
Richard's death.
'This
scientific research proves that Richard suffered from chemicals called
organophosphates which cause chronic brain and other problems.
'This happens because of constant exposure working aboard aircraft.'
The
new findings - the results of a wide-ranging study which took in
evidence given by Mr Westgate - have just been published in the Journal
of Biological Physics and Chemistry.
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