Apple Sued After iPhone/iPad Allegedly Caused Fatal Plane Crash

Family and relatives of the 66 victims of Egypt Air Flight 804 have reportedly banded together and sued the airliner, along with Apple, claiming in their filing that an overheating iOS device belonging to the co-pilot is responsible for bringing down the airliner on May 19, 2016 over the Mediterranean Sea.

According to the lawsuit, a copy of which was obtained over the weekend by TMZ, French investigators determined that either an iPhone 6s or an iPad mini device belonging to the co-pilot of Flight 804 may have overheated substantially, ultimately causing a fire which led to the mid-air crash.

Egypt Air Flight 804, which was en route from Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris, France, and headed to Cairo, Egypt, went down on May 19, 2016 while flying over the Mediterranean Sea. Prior to the crash, Greek defense systems reportedly logged the A320 Airbus as it carried all 56 passengers and 10 crew members 37,000 feet above the water.

Unexpectedly, the plane then made a sharp 90 degree turn, prior to making a 360 degree move right, and then dropped off the radar entirely, according to official reports of the incident.

It’s still not entirely clear what actually caused the crash, though an iPhone and/or iPad device has been deemed the culprit in this case. 

Apple has yet to respond publicly to the new claims leveled against it, however the company did release a statement shortly after the original crash took place:

“We haven’t been contacted by [Air Transport Gendarmerie] or any authority investigating this tragic event. We have not seen any report, but we understand there is no evidence to link this event to Apple products. If investigators have questions for us, we would, of course, assist in any way we can. We rigorously test our products to ensure they meet or exceed international safety standards.”

While the suit specifically names either an iPhone 6s or iPad mini 4 as the catalyst of sparking a fire onboard the airliner, it’s worth noting that such has not been established beyond the shadow of a doubt. Some industry experts cited in various reports suggest that a fire onboard the jet liner may have originated from an explosion — possibly terrorism related — that broke out in a different section of the plane.

Nevertheless, relatives of the 66 Flight 804 victims believe there is enough evidence to hold Apple and Egypt Air accountable for their losses and damages.