Mangalore Air Crash: Kerala High Court Quashes Plea to Review Stay on Compensation
Daijiworld Media Network
Kochi, Sep 30: The Kerala high court has quashed a petition that sought a review of its earlier decision to let Air India decide on the compensation to be given to the kin of those who perished in the 2010 air crash in Mangalore.
The petition was filed by Arikkad Abdul Salam, whose son died in the crash.
Earlier, an order by a single bench had ordered that each victim's family be paid Rs 75 lac as compensation. This order was on August 25 quashed by a division bench, which also dismissed another plea which stated that Rs 75 lac was not enough.
The single bench order was quashed after the court noticed that the air carrier has paid an average compensation of Rs 80 lac for death, with minimum compensation of Rs 25 lac and maximum compensation being Rs 7.75 crore.
Following the decision of the court, the Mangalore Air India Crash Victims Families Association said that it would approach the Supreme Court and gave its full support to Abdul Salam in fighting his case.
Meanwhile, around 55 affected persons had decided to undertake legal battle to get justifiable compensation for the air crash victims at the international level. Initially, the representatives of victims held two rounds of discussions with a London-based insurance company, and the company has invited them for a third round of discussions. These victims were told by lawyers from a Swedish law firm, who are representing the victims in these discussions, that the discussions so far have been quite favourable to the affected people. If the discussions fail, the relatives of victims have the option of approaching the International Court of Arbiteration.