Families of Air India Crash Victims Begin Receiving Promised Compensation
- Air India has begun distributing ₹25 lakh in interim compensation to families affected by the Ahmedabad crash, with three families receiving the payment so far
- The deadly June 12 accident claimed 270 lives, prompting a large-scale DNA identification effort to confirm victims’ identities
- Authorities and the airline continue to assist grieving families while navigating complex recovery and relief efforts
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Air India has commenced disbursing interim compensation of ₹25 lakh to the families of victims of the tragic Ahmedabad crash, with three families having received the payment as of Saturday, according to an official statement released by the airline.
The ₹25 lakh sum is part of the initial relief package and comes in addition to the ₹1 crore — approximately GBP 85,000 — which was pledged by the Tata Sons group shortly after the deadly incident.
Source: UGC
₹25 Lakh compensation for Ahmedabad crash victims’ families
In a press release, Air India confirmed that it had started “reaching out to those who were injured and the families of those who lost their lives on the ground to initiate the compensation process for them.”
The crash of flight A1171 on Thursday, 12 June, claimed 270 lives — 241 passengers on board and 29 individuals on the ground — when the aircraft collided with the BJ Medical College Hostel in Ahmedabad. The figures were shared by news agency PTI.
Speaking with Legit.ng, AbdulRasheed Hussaini, a public expert based in Nigeria, believed the disbursement process had been slow:
“This is a necessary and humane step in the wake of an unspeakable tragedy. Based on the financial needs of the families at this time, it is sad to hear that only three families have received payments so far. Air India should fast track the disbursement process and also focus on the family’s recovery.”
Families supported through DNA identification process
Air India added that bereaved families were being supported throughout the hospital procedures, including the complex DNA identification process necessitated by the condition of many victims’ remains.
As of Saturday, officials confirmed that 247 victims had been identified via DNA testing, with 232 bodies returned to their families. The process has been challenging due to the severe damage sustained by some of the bodies in the crash.
Dr Rakesh Joshi, Superintendent of Ahmedabad Civil Hospital — where the bodies are stored — stated that the identified victims include 187 Indians, 52 Britons, seven Portuguese citizens, and one Canadian. Among the Indian victims, 175 were passengers on the ill-fated flight, hailing from Gujarat, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Diu, and Nagaland.
Source: Getty Images
DNA chaos mounts amid unmatched samples
The identification process continues to present difficulties. According to Dr Joshi, eight families have been asked to provide new DNA samples from other relatives after previous submissions failed to yield matches.
“Unless there is a match, bodies cannot be handed over to the kin,” Dr Rakesh Joshi told PTI.
As families await final identifications and further disbursements, authorities and the airline continue their efforts to provide closure and support in the aftermath of one of India’s most tragic aviation disasters.
Maintenance of Air India’s two engines
Legit.ng earlier reported that Air India CEO, Campbell Wilson has written a letter to the customers of the airline to reassure them of the company's commitment to safety.
This is coming after the airline's flight AI171 crashed and killed 241 people on board and 34 people on the ground.
In the letter, the CEO lamented the tragic incident and stated that the company was fully aware of the extent of suffering relatives of victims must have gone through due to the trauma.
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Source: Legit.ng
