Thaindian News

Kochi, July 20 (IANS) The Kerala High Court Wednesday told Air India to pay Rs.75 lakh as compensation to the families of each of the 158 people who died in the Mangalore air crash last year.

This direction was made by Justice P.R. Ramachandran Menon following a petition filed by the family of Mohammed Rafi, who lost his life in the May crash.

Air India Express flight 812 from Dubai to Mangalore overshot the runway while landing at the Bajpe airport, about 20 km from Mangalore, and caught fire after plunging about 300 metres off a cliff.

The court directed Air India to pay the compensation in a month’s time and also look into compensation to be given under the international treaty.

Each victim would be entitled to a minimum of Rs.75 lakh, according to
Sreedharan Nair, counsel for the relatives of Mohammed Rafi.

“For my client I had claimed Rs.15 million (Rs.150 lakh), and his case would go on. It is the insurance companies that pay,” Nair told IANS.

Soon after the accident, the civil aviation ministry had announced Rs.10 lakh as compensation to families of the dead.

The Karnataka government offered Rs.3 lakh as compensation while the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund announced another Rs.2 lakh.

Of the 158 victims, 53 were Keralites. Most hailed from the northern parts of the state, especially Kasargode and Kannur.