Fed: HMAS Melbourne crew still in court 38 years after accident
A lawyer predicts Australia's longest-running legal battle may drag on for another 10 years.
The prediction comes on the 38th anniversary of the nation's worst peacetime military disaster.
On February 10, 1964 -- during a training accident off Jervis Bay on the NSW southcoast -- HMAS Melbourne sliced the HMAS Voyager in two.
HMAS Voyager sank, claiming the lives of 82 sailors.
Melbourne lawyer DAVID FORSTER -- who represents 60 of the HMAS Melbourne crewmen --says all compensation cases for the crew of the HMAS Voyager have been settled by thefederal government.
But Mr FORSTER says the government is fighting the claims for compensation from thecrew of the other ship.
He says there are now 39 compensation cases before the Victorian Supreme Court and90 before the NSW Supreme Court.
Mr FORSTER says the costly litigation will take another 10 years.
He says the government should acknowledge the mistakes of the past and resolve thecases without expensive litigation.
A spokeswoman for Veterans Affairs Minister DANNA VALE says the government will continueto fight any claims for compensation by the crew of the HMAS Melbourne.
AAP RTV bja/gfr/jtb
KEYWORD: VOYAGER (MELBOURNE)
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