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Families of those killed demand open apology on AirAsia crash anniversary

Xinhua, December 28, 2015 Adjust font size:

Monday marked the one year anniversary of the crash of AirAsia's flight QZ8501 in Indonesia, with the families of those killed in the crash demanding an open apology from the airline.

AirAsia flight QZ8501 crashed en route from Surabaya to Singapore on Dec. 28, 2014, killing all 162 people aboard.

Relatives of those killed in the crash and and officials from AirAsia gathered Monday in Surabaya for a private ceremony to mark the tragedy.

"This is a gathering event to convey pray and commemorate the AirAsia tragedy together with the victims'families and relatives," AirAsia Indonesia President Director Sunu Widyatmoko said on the sidelines of the event.

The event was also attended by head of Indonesia's National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) and former Surabaya major Tri Rismaharini and co-founder of Air Asia Datuk Kamaruddin.

"No other program than praying together and meeting with families of the victims, memorizing those perished (in the crash). Representatives of the families conveyed their expectations," Sunu was quoted by a local media as saying.

The one year anniversary came just weeks after the investigation report into the tragedy said that a chronically faulty component in a rudder control system, poor maintenance and the pilot's inadequate response are the major factors causing the disaster.

A statement from a group comprising the families of those killed in the crash said "We the families demand AirAsia apologize openly to victims' families for the negligence that has resulted in fatalities".

Speaking at a video teleconference, AirAsia CEO Tony Fernandes conveyed his deepest condolence and asked forgiveness from victims' families.

He also conveyed AirAsia's commitment to improving its management to prevent such a crash from occurring again in the future.

According to the results of investigation announced earlier this month by Indonesia's National Transportation Safety Committee (KNKT), the ill-fated plane experienced "stall" at the height of 32,000 feet, leading to the engine loss that brought the plane to its doom. Endit