PM extends financial aid to Mangalore victims

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday condoled the loss of lives in the Air India Express flight crash in Mangalore and announced a financial assistance of Rs 2 lakh each for the families of those killed.

As a mark of respect to those who perished in the tragedy, the function at the PM's residence on Saturday evening to mark the completion of the first year of UPA II government has been postponed, a statement from the PMO said in New Delhi.

The Prime Minister has also announced a compensation of Rs 50,000 each to those injured in the crash from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund.

Singh spoke to Home Minister P Chidambaram and Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel, who briefed him on the ongoing rescue operations being carried out at the Mangalore airport.

An Air India Express flight from Dubai with 173 on board crashed before landing at Kenjar, near the newly built runway in Mangalore on Saturday morning, and caught fire. Karnataka Home Minister V S Acharya said there may be only five to six survivors.