Crash of Air Blue Flight ABQ-202: Safety Investigation Board presents report to Prime Minister

The Safety Investigation Board presented the investigation report on the crash of Air Blue Flight ABQ-202 to Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani on Wednesday. Keeping in view all the pros and cons, which led to the crash, Prime Minister directed the board to seek comments from the states of Manufacture and Design, which is requirement of International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).
"The comments from these States are to be received within a period of 60 days", he further said. He stressed that necessary safety related directives must be issued to all concerned to ensure the safety of lives and equipment. The Prime Minister was also apprised on the progress of payment of compensation to the affected families.
The Prime Minister expressed his concern on the slow pace of compensation and directed that the process including codal formalities be expedited to help the affected families. Air Blue spokesperson Raheel Ahmed had said that some 50 of the victims' families have been paid Rs 5 million so far. The announcement of compensation package was delayed only because the management was negotiating with the insurance company to ensure maximum compensation. Each family is being given Rs 5 million in addition to the 0.5 million given earlier," the Air Blue official claimed.
Air Blue has given Rs 5 million to only those families of the victims who have fulfilled their legal requirements, which includes a succession certificate. The airline claims that only 60 people have submitted these certificates, of which 50 people have been paid the full amount. These 50 do not include the two American nationals who were also onboard.
Minister for Defence Chaudhry Ahmad Mukhtar, Secretary Defence Lieutenant General Athar Ali (Retd), Deputy Chief of Air Staff (Operations) Air Marshal Muhammad Hasan, Additional Secretary Defence Major General Raja Arif Nazir and DG CAA Air Marshal Khalid Chaudhry (Retd) were also present at the presentation.