Kerala: 2 Years After AIE Crash, Survivors And Victims' Kin Raise Money To Build Hospital For Locals Who Rescued Them

They have pooled money from the compensation they received to construct the building for the PHC to display their gratitude to those who carried out the daring rescue operation

First responders gather around the wreckage of an Air India Express jet.

Source : AFP file

In a heartening response to the people, who helped in carrying out rescue operation two years ago at Kerala's Karipur international airport after the Air India Express flight crash, the survivors and families of those who died in the accident have raised an amount of Rs 50 lakh to construct a hospital building for the locals.

The building will be constructed for a Public Health Centre (PHC), the only government health facility near the crash site. They have pooled money from the compensation they received to construct the building for the PHC to display their gratitude to those who carried out the daring rescue operation on the fateful night.

An action forum, which was formed under the Malabar Development Forum (MDF), signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the District Medical Officer (DMO) on August 7, the second anniversary of the accident, to construct the hospital building for the PHC with in-patient facility, a pharmacy and a laboratory.

The action forum which includes the survivors and the families of 184 passengers have contributed a sum of Rs 50 lakh for the purpose, MDF Chairman Abdurahiman Edakkuni told PTI.

"On the day of the accident, the nearest hospital was around eight kms away. There is a PHC just 300 meters away from the crash site but lacks facilities. So the forum has decided to construct the hospital for the first responders who saved many lives on that fateful night. It's a manner of showing gratitude to the locals who rushed to help the passengers," Edakkuni said.

Eighteen people, including the pilot and co-pilot, were killed when the AIE flight with 190 people on board from Dubai overshot the tabletop runway on August 7, 2020 and fell into a 35-feet valley and broke into pieces on impact.

The MoU was signed by Kozhikode DMO, R Renuka, and Edakkuni, the chairman of MDF. "As soon as the health department gives nod, the construction will begin," Edakkuni said.

Almost everyone received the insurance compensation, thanks to the Forum, which brought in foreign lawyers to fight for the claim with the Airline and the insurance company.

Sources said the insurance amount varies from person to person based on the injuries they suffered in the plane crash. "Some received Rs 7 lakh and many received over Rs 1 crore. Those who suffered grievous injuries have received over Rs 5 crore. It's all based on the injuries they suffered in the crash," sources said.

The government had also given compensation to the victims and their families soon after the incident.

(With PTI inputs)