AAP General News (Australia)
08-02-2004
WA; Gracetown cliff collapse lawsuit begins today
PERTH, Aug 2 AAP - A lawsuit brought by the families of those killed when a West Australian
cliff collapsed eight years ago is set to begin today in Perth's District Court.
Four children and five adults were killed as they watched an inter-school surfing competition
near Gracetown, in WA's south-west, on September 27, 1996.
The group had been sheltering from rain under a limestone overhang on Huzza's Beach
when it collapsed, dumping 2,500 tonnes of rubble on top of them.
The eight families involved in the action against the West Australian government and
the Shire of Augusta/Margaret River claim the cliff collapse was a foreseeable risk rather
than an act of God.
Those who died were Peter McFarlane, 41, Ian Bremner, 49, local surfing identity Lindsay
Thompson, 47, Lyndell Otto, 41, Madeline Wall, 35, her 13-year-old son Nathan Sotiriadis,
Rachel Waller, 12, Rebecca Morgan, 12, and Gina Iddon, 11.
The hearing is expected to last at least four weeks.
AAP hn/bes/jlw
KEYWORD: GRACETOWN
2004 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.
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