Kochi: The Kerala High Court on Wednesday ordered Air India to pay Rs7.5 million (Dh613,063) as compensation to each of the families of the 158 people who perished in the Mangalore air crash last year.
The ruling was made by Justice P.R. Ramachandran Menon following a petition filed by the family of Mohammad Rafi, who lost his life in the accident.
The Air India Express flight 812 from Dubai to Mangalore overshot the runway while landing at the Bajpe airport, about 20km from Mangalore, and caught fire after plunging down 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's family would be entitled to a minimum of Rs7.5 million, according to Sreedharan Nair, who is representing Mohammad Rafi's relatives.
"For my client I had claimed Rs15 million... It is the insurance companies that pay," Nair told IANS.
Soon after the accident, the civil aviation ministry had announced Rs1 million as compensation to the families of the crash victims.
The Karnataka government offered Rs300,000 as compensation while the Prime Minister's Relief Fund announced another Rs200,000.
Of the 158 victims, 53 were Keralites.
Most hailed from the northern parts of the state, especially Kasargode and Kannur.
