Only MAS to pay compensation to families of MH370 passengers

KUALA LUMPUR: Only Malaysia Airlines (MAS) will pay any form of compensation to families of the victims of MAS flight MH370, that went missing last March.
Transport Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said the amount of compensation to be paid to the victims' families would be evaluated based on the Montreal Convention 1999 and subject to proof of loss that was borne by every passenger and crew.
"Nevertheless, MAS has offered an advanced compensation of US$50,000 (RM167,286) as part of the full compensation payment to every next-of-kin and family members of the passengers after all supporting documents required have been submitted by them," he said in a written reply in the Dewan Rakyat here today.
He was replying to a question from Mohamed Hanipa Maidin (PAS-Sepang) who asked the transport minister to clarify if the government or MAS had paid any compensation to the families of the victims.
Liow added that the government has spent RM32.6 million as costs for the search and rescue operation following the disappearance of the Boeing 777 aircraft, reports Bernama.
Flight MH370, with 239 on board, was enroute to Beijing when it mysteriously disappeared.