HC Deb 13 December 1954 vol 535 c97W
Mr. Lewis

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will give details of the compensation agreement arrived at with the Chinese Government for the shooting down of a British-owned Cathay Pacific commercial airliner off the Hainan Island on 23rd July, 1954.

Mr. Turton

On 15th September, Her Majesty's Chargé ďAffaires at Peking presented a claim for £367,000 to the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This claim covered:

  1. (a) the loss of the aircraft and the consequential expenses incurred by the Cathay Pacific Airways Company,
  2. (b) the loss of freight and baggage,
  3. (c) compensation in respect of loss of life and
  4. (d) compensation to the survivors for injury and distress.

The total figure covers compensation on behalf of all those involved including foreign nationals.

As I said in reply to the hon. Member for Windsor (Mr. Mott-Radclyffe) on 3rd November, the Chinese Government informed us that they considered this claim acceptable as covering the entire benefits and compensation for all losses involved. The cheque for £367,000 has been handed to Her Majesty's Chargé ďAffaires at Peking, but has not yet been received in London.