Mangalore:
Holding her young daughter in her arms, Helen Menezes watched as others prayed for the 158 people who died in Air India crash at Mangalore two months ago. (
Read: Air India plane crashes in Mangalore; 158 dead, 8 survivors)
The memorial service was organized by Air India at the place where the plane went up in flames after its pilot overshot the runway by several thousand feet.
Helen wore a white salwaar-kameez at the service. Her husband was on that plane from Dubai to Mangalore - the family lived in Dubai. But after the crash, she has moved home. She has two children to support, and no income.
After the crash, Air India gave Rs 10 lakh to the family of each person who died. The final compensation due to each family will depend on factors that include insurance companies, as well as how much each victim was earning, and how many dependents he or she has left behind.
Officials say the final dues will be settled in another three months. That worries some families.
Abdul Basith lost his sister, her eight-month-old baby, and two aunts in the crash. He wanted to help others like him pick up the pieces. So, he is a part of the Mangalore Air Crash Victims' Families' Association.
Through phone calls and emails, Abdul helps advise families on how much they're due, and the paperwork they need to submit for their claims. "Some of the families of the victims are aged...or the victims were the sole bread-earners. It's also a problem not knowing how much compensation is due and what is the way to get it," he says.