Compensations already paid to plane crash victims’ families

Following The Mirror front page news story last week on compensation for victims of the Allied Air crash disaster a year ago, reports now reaching the paper indicate that compensation for the victims had been paid.
In a statement that raised objection to the story, lawyers for the airline, Lynes Quashie-Idun & Co, indicated that from the outset, Allied Air, supported by its insurers, have been proactive in seeking to deal with the issues of compensation.

It said, “As at the first anniversary of the loss, the very great majority of claims are settled; those that are not are in negotiation with lawyers representing the victims’ interests.”

When contacted, the lawyer for five of the victims mentioned in the story, Mr John Akpalu, said that administrators who represented the victims’ families, including Messrs Daniel Ayesu Kumi, Kenneth Asiamah, Issac Kofi Hlordzi, Rockifella Abuchow and Madam Evelyn Osei, signed releases on August 20, 2013 and settlement cheques handed over to them.

He said the cheques had now been deposited with the banks and were awaiting clearance.

Meanwhile, Mr Kenneth Asiamah, father for George Osei, the trotro driver who died in the crash incident, and administrator for the family, has described it as good news but added that he was yet to lay hands on the money.

Ten persons aboard the trotro lost their lives on June 2, 2012 when the plane skidded off the runway at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) and crashed into the minibus on the El-Wak Stadium-37 Hospital road in Accra.

They were, in addition to the driver, Kennedy Hlordzi,18, a student; Kwame Boadu, aka Nana Yaw, 24, driver’s mate; Castro Abuchow, 26; James Yaw Norgbodo, 26; Gideon Ansah Kumi, 19; Maxwell Lavor, 22; Evans Abayel Tabanyeng, 34, and Ishmael Dautey, 35.

Two other people who were in a taxi which was grazed by the aircraft however, escaped unhurt, while all the four crew members of the aircraft survived the accident.

The Boeing 727-200 operated by Allied Air of Nigeria, had taken off from Lagos and was carrying general goods including textiles, perfume and clothing from Nigeria to Cote d’Ivoire when it overshot the KIA runway and struck the minibus.

By Jojo Sam/The Mirror/Ghana