EXCLUSIVE: Hundreds of Military Personnel 'Could Take Class Action Suit' After Being Diagnosed With ‘Toxic-Linked’ Diseases — After Prince William’s Flying Instructor Killed Aged 47 by Cancer 'Caused by Years of Inhaling Poisonous Helicopter Fumes'
An army of military personnel could take the Army to court over toxic fume inhilation, sources say.
Feb. 14 2025, Published 9:00 a.m. ET
The death of Prince William's military flying instructor – who died of cancer after years of exposure to toxic helicopter exhaust fumes – coudl spark a history-making legal action, RadarOnline.com can reveal
Flight Sergeant Zach Stubbings passed away aged 47 after over a decade of battling multiple myeloma, cancer of the blood and bone marrow.
Prince William is said to have been left devastated by the death of his chopper instructor Zach Stubbings, above.
The worrying news comes as William’s wife Kate Middleton and dad King Charles have both been fighting killer cancer and experts will now probe whether the heir to the throne was exposed to the same toxic mix of chemicals that are now striking down former aircrews in increasing numbers.
Sufferers are now set to sue the British military for millions in compensation.
The UK government is investigating how many military personnel have been diagnosed with cancer, after claims some helicopters left crew exposed to toxic fumes.
Military top brass could be hit with a class action suit in the wake of Stubbings' passing.
At least six cases have already been settled out of court by the Ministry of Defence (MoD), with dozens of other aircrew and families understood to be in the process of suing.
They claim officials knew about safety concerns with certain aircraft as far back as 1999, but chose not to tell the crew or introduce sufficient safety precautions.
The MoD says it takes "the health of our personnel extremely seriously" and is currently testing the exhaust emissions of some military helicopters.
Diseases contracted by some of the crew who flew the helicopters include lung cancer, throat cancer, testicular cancer and some rare forms of blood cancer.
William was respected as one of Britain's top military pilots after Stubbings' lessons.
William's dad-of-three teacher Stubbings was diagnosed with cancer in 2013, 13 years after joining the RAF Search and Rescue.
He trained Prince William when he was based at RAF Valley in Anglesey in the United Kingdom from 2010 to 2013.
The future King regularly flew Sea King helicopters, the same aircraft as Stubbings.
His passing was announced by Richard Sutton, a former Navy Commander and pilot who was also diagnosed with cancer 12 years ago.
Prince William has been pictured flying Sea King helicopters in the early 2010s.
Stubbings previously told that he was often surrounded by black exhaust fumes.
In an interview last year he said: "If you're by the cargo door, the exhaust comes right through.
"Even worse, if you're working on the winch, which I was, you're putting your head right out into it.
"We had to clean everything. It didn't feel right. There was no protection, nothing. We all complained about it."
He said how he would often get "a face full" of the sooty fumes, noting the dreadful smell.
Troops are feared to be being poisoned to death by fumes from military craft.
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The royals have recently been cursed with cancer, with Wills' wife Kate Middleton last year returning to the London hospital to thank her care team after beating the disease.
She said on Instagram: "I wanted to take the opportunity to say thank you to The Royal Marsden for looking after me so well during the past year.
"My heartfelt thanks goes to all those who have quietly walked alongside William and me as we have navigated everything.
"We couldn’t have asked for more. The care and advice we have received throughout my time as a patient has been exceptional."
She then revealed her new roles as "Joint Patron of The Royal Marsden," before adding: "My hope is, that by supporting groundbreaking research and clinical excellence, as well as promoting patient and family wellbeing, we might save many more lives, and transform the experience of all those impacted by cancer.
