Originally Posted by rabcnesbitt
...Manx2 can walk away from this, they have no responsibility...
Incorrect. The ticketed passengers had a contract with Manx2, not the actual operator, financial and legal responsibility lies with the contracting party. However under normal wet-lease conditions, the insurer of the operating airline will be responsible for all financial settlements, probably this will be the case here too.
Originally Posted by englishal
...it reached the runway then was "catapulted". That almost suggests it was "flown into the ground"...
If this was actually seen from the tower, that pretty much rules out the low visibility scenario. The intact-looking MLG does not imply any structural failure, a bounce that does not collapse the gear may be unpleasant, but is no reason for ending belly up. There is certainly more to this...