Families of Dana crash victims reluctant to submit claims forms

One month after the Dana crash, only about half of the victim’s insurance forms have been completed, the airline has said.

The airline’s head of corporate communications, Tony Usidamen, said this in Lagos on Tuesday.

“As at July 2, the airline had received complete insurance forms for 64 of the victims, four of which are our staff members,” he said.

He said, however, that members of the families who had submitted relevant documents to the Crises Management Center in Lagos and Abuja had been contacted. But the airline is waiting for more relatives of victims of its June 3 crash to come forward for a final conclusion on payment to be reached.

“We are aware that most of the next of kins or legal representatives who submitted documents are yet to visit the Crisis Management Centre (CMC) for documentations,” Mr Usidamen said.

“We believe the families are still observing the customary mourning period; insurance funds are already in place,” he added.

A Dana aircraft carrying 153 occupants crashed on June 3, at Iju-Ishaga area of Lagos, killing all occupants on board, as well as four others in the buildings along the plane’s crash path.

Mr Usidamen said the airline appreciates that the statutory payments cannot compensate for any of the lives lost in the accident, but the company hopes it will lessen the pain of the families.

He advised victims’ families to visit the Chambers of Dana Air Solicitors in Nigeria for documentation and next of kin status, to allow for conclusion of advance payment formalities.
He said the airline is ready to pay the benefits due to the families of the crash victims in line with the International Civil Aviation Organisation and Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority regulations.

Lloyds of London is the insurance company designated to pay compensations to families of the victims of the Dana plane crash.

The airline is mandated to pay interim compensation within 30 days of the crash in accordance with the Civil Aviation regulations.