Lufthansa To Pay US$54,450 Each To Families Of Victims Killed In Germanwings Crash

Germanwings is going to pay US$54,450 to the families of each victim killed in the crash on Mar. 24. A spokesman for its parent company Lufthansa declared it on Saturday.

Lufthansa spokesman Boris Ogursky said that the families of the victims should expect all support from the company. The support includes an initial financial compensation of 50,000 euros for each family which lost a dear one in the crash. "This is to offer the families immediate support to help them in this major change in life,” Ogursky said, “They shouldn't have to face a financial problem and they need not worry about paying it back.”

The families from around the world are flying to France to visit the crash site. The airline is covering the expenses for their living accommodations and transportation. According to the spokesman, there are 18 countries which have been affected by the crash. Families from Colombia, Mexico, Germany, Japan and Spain have been flying into Marseilles in the last three days.

Ogursky also said that the company would implement fresh security measures. It will make it mandatory for two people to stay in the cockpit. Countries like the United States already have such rules in practice. A flight attendant remains in the cockpit in case one of the pilots has to leave for a break.

According to German aviation lawyer Elmar Giemulla, the airline had to pay out compensation in the crash. Insurance companies may refuse to pay out if it becomes apparent that one of the employees of the airline company acted deliberately for the crash while the airline could have prevented that, he said. Giemulla said that it was the airline which was liable for payment even if the insurance covered it or not.

It has been alleged that co-pilot Andreas Lubitz deliberately locked the captain out of the cockpit and then crashed the Germanwings Flight 9525 into the French Alps on Tuesday. The 27-year-old is accused of killing all 150 on board.

Investigators are still looking for the second black box from the crash site as the search entered its sixth day on Sunday. The frame for the black box has already been found.

Contact the writer: s.mukhopadhyay@ibtimes.com.au