A US federal judge has ruled that a negligence lawsuit from relatives of the victims of the 9/11 terrorist attacks which has been brought against the aviation industry can proceed.

District judge, Alvin Hellerstein, ruled on 9 September that the 70 injured parties and relatives of those who were killed in 2001 could go ahead with their litigation against United Airlines and American Airlines, owners of the World Trade Centre the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and plane-maker Boeing.

While the ruling does not determine liability, the companies had been trying to get the case dismissed.

The airlines argued on the grounds that they shouldn’t be liable because of the unprecedented nature of the attacks and because they had followed federal law safety measures. All concerned will now have to prove they were not negligent.

Besides the airlines and aircraft maker, other parties being sued include three security checkpoint screening firms and the airports that the hijackers went through.

The ruling could also potentially open the floodgates to other claims from the 3000 victims relatives. Plaintiffs have a two-year maximum time limit to file personal-injury lawsuits after the event. Details: www.nysd.uscourts.gov/RulingsofInterest.htm