Indian mission official to help Kenya victims’ kin

By IANS

New Delhi : The Indian high commission in Nigeria has deputed a senior official to help the families of the 15 Indian victims who were aboard the ill-fated Kenyan Airlines plane that crashed into a mangrove swamp near Douala Saturday.


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Kenyan Airways CEO Titus Naikuni confirmed late Monday that flight KQ 507 from Douala to Nairobi was located 20 km southeast of Douala, the largest city in Cameroon.

There was no confirmed information about survivors or any possible casualties, he added.

There is not much hope of finding any survivors, the Indian mission in Nairobi told IANS.

All 114 people on board, including 15 Indians, are believed to have been killed in the crash even as search operations resumed Tuesday.

"The search and rescue teams are still at the accident scene. As the site is inaccessible to vehicles, the recovery of bodies and investigation are expected to be a difficult and slow process," external affairs ministry spokesperson Navtej Sarna said here.

The High Commission of India, Nigeria, has deputed a first secretary (consular) to Douala to coordinate and assist the families and authorities in identification of the deceased Indians as well as to transport the bodies that are recovered, the spokesperson said.

Kenya Airways has also announced that they would bear the cost of two return tickets per boarded passenger for the next of kin who wish to travel to Douala.

Accommodation would also be provided for a reasonable duration by the Kenya Airways.

Latest information on the probe into the crash is also being posted at Kenya Airways website at www.kenya-airways.com. A passenger information centre has been opened at the Intercontinental Hotel, Nairobi, to help relatives and friends of the victims.

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