Air India Releases Compensation To 166 Families of AI171 Crash—Details Here

Air India announced on Saturday, July 26, that it has paid insurance relief compensation to the families of 166 victims of the Ahmedabad plane crash last month. Besides, payment to the families of another 52 victims is in the process, it added. The plane crash, one of the worst air disasters in India in decades, involved a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner operating as Air India flight AI171.

Out of the 242 people onboard, 241 were killed, while the total death toll stood at 260, including casualties on the ground. On June 14, Air India announced that it will provide an interim compensation of Rs 25 lakh, to the families of each of the deceased and survivors of the Ahmedabad plane crash to help address immediate financial needs.

'Air India has released the interim compensation to the families of 147 of the 229 deceased passengers and also the 19 who lost their lives at the accident site,' the Tata-Group airline said in the statement today. In addition, the requisite documents of 52 others have been verified, and the interim compensation will be released progressively to the families, it noted.

The interim payment will be adjusted against any final compensation, the Tata Group airline clarified. The Tata Group has also registered 'The AI-171 Memorial and Welfare Trust', dedicated to the crash victims. It has pledged to support the reconstruction of the BJ Medical College Hostel infrastructure, which was damaged in the accident, as per the release.

The Tata Group Trust has pledged an ex-gratia payment of Rs 1 crore in respect of each of the deceased, and support for rebuilding the B.J. Medical College Hostel infrastructure, which was damaged in the accident. 

The Trust will also provide aid and assistance for alleviation of any trauma or distress suffered by the first responders, medical and disaster relief professionals, social workers, and governmental staff who provided invaluable institutional support and service in the aftermath of the accident.