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17:42, 18-Apr-2019
Ethiopian Airlines to deliver first compensation to victim's families
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Ethiopian Airlines is ready to issue the first compensation to the families who lost their beloved ones in the deadly air crash, killing all 157 people on board on March 10, the CEO of Ethiopian Airlines, Tewolde GebreMariam told CCTV News Wednesday.
GebreMariam said the airline is making the first compensation payments to the families of the victims and is contacting insurance companies for further compensation plans. The airlines also keeps following up on the DNA identification process, sending DNA samples it has collected to the UK for further analysis, he added.
The Foreign Affairs Ministry has asked the victims' families to secure a Grant of Representation from the court in order to get compensation, Daily Nation, a Kenyan independent newspaper reported.
Ethiopian Airlines Chief Executive Officer Tewolde Gebremariam speaks at the Africa CEO Forum in Kigali, Rwanda, March 25, 2019. /Reuters Photo
Ethiopian Airlines Chief Executive Officer Tewolde Gebremariam speaks at the Africa CEO Forum in Kigali, Rwanda, March 25, 2019. /Reuters Photo
A Grant of Representation is required to enable the personal representative to deal with the deceased person's estate, for example, to get compensation or sell property.
The exact amounts of compensation that the families will receive will vary due to factors such as age, profession, and position in life. The amount could also be more depending on the findings of ongoing investigations, if it is established that the airline was indeed at fault and if court action is the result, according to the Daily Nation.
Ethiopia grounded four Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft in the wake of the March 10 crash, and for the rest of the outstanding Boeing orders, Ghebremariam said he would review them after Boeing provided a final solution.
Ethiopian Federal policemen stand at the scene of the Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET 302 plane crash, southeast of Addis Ababa, March 11, 2019. /Reuters Photo
Ethiopian Federal policemen stand at the scene of the Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET 302 plane crash, southeast of Addis Ababa, March 11, 2019. /Reuters Photo
"The grounding will certainly take a toll on the airline's operations. However, we have not made any specific calculation at present, nor have we started to negotiate with Boeing about our loss. Our priority now is to investigate the accident, make compensation for the victims' family members, and ensure the normal operation and stability of the company," the CEO said.
(Cover image: An Ethiopian Airlines plane waits to take off from the Bole International Airport in Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa, August 21, 2015. /Reuters Photo.)