Dock workers' heirs win appeal over damages

The government, as successor of Malta Drydocks, was yesterday ordered by the Court of Appeal to pay over Lm120,000 in damages to the heirs of three dockyard workers who lost their lives at the yard in 1989.

The court, composed of Chief Justice Vincent Degaetano, Mr Justice Albert J. Magri and Mr Justice Anton Depasquale, reduced the damages that had been awarded by the First Hall of the Civil Court in 2001.

The widows and children of Valentinu Sammut, Frank Scicluna and Angelo Farrugia had claimed that the three men were working on a dock arm at Red China Dock in December 1989 when the arm fell into the dock.

They requested the court to condemn Malta Drydocks to make good the damages they had sustained. In 2001 the First Hall of the Civil Court had upheld plaintiffs' claims and had ordered the dockyard to pay damages to the three families.

However, Malta Drydocks lodged an appeal in the Court of Appeal.

In the three judgments delivered yesterday, the court of Appeal confirmed that the dockyard was responsible for the accident in which the three men lost their lives.

However, the court reduced the damages payable by the government, as successor to the Malta Drydocks, to the three families.

The Court of Appeal awarded Lm20,424 to the heirs of Valentinu Sammut, Lm53,820 to the heirs of Angelo Farrugia and Lm46,575 to the heirs of Frank Scicluna.