Braganza v BP Shipping Ltd and Another (The “British Unity”) – Supreme Court (Lord Neuberger PSC, Lady Hale DPSC, Lord Kerr, Lord Wilson and Lord Hodge JJSC) – 18 March 2015

Contract – Death benefits – Crew member disappearing at sea – Employer forming opinion that death was suicide and death benefits not payable on basis that death resulted from “wilful default” – Whether employer misdirected itself in law – Whether employer’s opinion reasonable

Mr Renford Braganza was employed by BP as the chief engineer of the oil tanker British Unity. During the early hours of 11 May 2009 Mr Braganza disappeared while the vessel was in the mid-North Atlantic.