Families Sue Sikorsky in Italy Crash

By Ramsay Crooks

Published on July 22, 2005

The suit was filed in the United States District Court in Bridgeport and alleges that manufacturers were aware of the jet engine's electrical problems on the MH-53E Sea Dragon helicopter that went down 10 miles southwest of the Naval base at Sigonella in 2003.

The crash killed Lt. Peter Ober, 27 of Jacksonville, Fla. and Samuel Patrick Cox, 21, an electrician's mate 3rd class from Kansas City, Mo. The lawsuits were filed by Ober's wife, Alicia, of Virginia, and Cox' parents, Joseph Cox and Mary Jo Thornley Cox of Kansas City. Each lawsuit seeks $10 million dollars in damages.

William Bloss, the Bridgeport attorney representing the Cox family said that the families are doing a service to other users of this type of military equipment.

A spokesperson for GE's jet engine department said that their legal team had been notified of the lawsuit.

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