Mangaluru: The tragic Mangaluru air crash completed nine years and the victims of the air crash were given a tribute at the memorial and park built in their memory, near New Mangaluru Prot on Tannirbavi Beach Road, on Wednesday, May 22.
Deputy Commissioner S Sasikanth Senthil laid a wreath at the memorial at the park and expressed his heartfelt condolences to the departed souls of the air crash victims. “W can never forget the air crash incident. It is one of the biggest lessons that time has taught us. A lot of changes and modifications have been made after the incident to ensure no such disaster occurs in future,” said the DC.
Air Crash Victims’ Association President Mohammed Beary expressed his condolences and informed that the family of women and children who succumbed in the incident received very less compensation to which a case has been filed in the court and the verdict is yet to come.
Other dignitaries too laid the wreath and showered flower petals on the memorial.
A total of 158 people were killed when flight IX 812 from Dubai crashed while landing at Mangaluru International Airport on May 22, 2010. Eight passengers survived the tragedy. While 136 bodies were identified and handed over to their family, the remaining 22 bodies that could not be identified were subjected to DNA examination. However, a total of 12 dead bodies, which could not be matched to any living kin were buried at the land that belongs to New Mangaluru Port Trust and the final rites were conducted according to Christian, Hindu and Muslim religions. Later, The New Mangalore Port, in association with Airports Authority of India has constructed the new memorial at a cost of Rs 12.13 lakh.
Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer Selvamani R, District Health Officer Ramakrishna Rao, Airport Deputy General Manager Abraham Koshi among others were present.