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The family of a footballer, who died along with his pilot in a plane crash as he travelled to his new football club in the Welsh capital, is taking legal action against Cardiff City FC and his former team, Nantes.
Emiliano Sala's relatives have named a total of 13 defendants in their law suit, including the company that owned the Piper Malibu - which ditched into the sea off the coast of Alderney on 21 January 2019 - its manufacturers and maintenance staff.
Football agent Mark McKay who worked on Nantes' behalf in the transfer deal, is also named, as well as his father Willie McKay.
A full jury inquest into the 28-year-old's death is still yet to be held, with a date set for 14 February next year.
The family's legal representative, Daniel Machover, said that the legal action was being taken to protect their "legal rights" pending its outcome.
Mr Sala's body was recovered following an extensive search by underwater investigators, but that of his pilot, David Ibbotson (59), has never been found.
Pictured: Pilot David Ibbotson, who flew the Piper Malibu plane.
A report by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch concluded that the plane they were in broke up mid-flight and that both pilot and passenger were likely affected by carbon monoxide poisoning.
David Henderson, a pilot from Yorkshire who was originally due to fly the plane, is due to face trial in October this year.
Last October, he pleaded 'not guilty' to acting in a "reckless/negligent manner" likely to endanger the safety of an aircraft and attempting to discharge a passenger without valid authorisation in Cardiff Crown Court.
Pictured: The wreckage captured on camera underwater.
Mr Machover said in a pre-inquest hearing that the inquest date should be fixed soon after Mr Henderson's trial.
"In the meantime, in order to protect their legal rights and remedies arising from Emiliano's untimely death, the family have commenced civil proceedings in the High Court, but will seek agreement to stay those proceedings pending the outcome of the inquest," he noted.
"That makes it all the more important for the inquest date to be fixed, so everyone can plan accordingly.
"Most importantly, the family know that the inquest will provide the answers to the very many questions they have about what went wrong in January 2019 and why Emiliano's life was cut short."
Pictured: A map showing the final movements of the aircraft.
Another pre-inquest hearing has been scheduled for 25 June.
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