LAM releases update on accident of flight TM470

Mozambique airline LAM's family assistance team again called on families of the deceased to discuss and address their needs and to update them on the procedures for collecting ante-mortem information, including DNA samples so that they are prepared for when these are requested by the Namibian authorities who are responsible for identifying the remains of the deceased.

This information is a legal requirement and will help to positively identify the remains of the passengers and crew who perished in last Friday’s tragic accident.

LAM fully appreciates the families’ desire to be able to pay their respects to their loved ones and arrange their funerals.

We also share the families’ anxiety over the conflicting information coming from Namibia on the status of the remains and what relatives are expected to do. At this time, it is impossible to say when the passengers’ and crew’s remains and possessions will be returned to their families. This will be determined by the identification process, which is in the hands of the Namibian authorities. We can only trust that they will act with the best interests of the deceased’s families in mind and utilise the additional support that has been offered to expedite the identifications with the care and compassion the families deserve.

As we previously stated, LAM sent a team of experts and also asked Kenyon International, specialists in disaster recover, to deploy to Namibia. They are in that country to avail themselves and their assets to the Namibian authorities to support the accident investigation and to assist with the identification and repatriation of the deceased’s remains and their personal belongings.

Teams in Namibia met with the accident investigators and travelled to the accident site to retrieve the personal belongings of the passengers and crew from what has been assessed to be a very dangerous and volatile site.

Regarding the accident investigation; as we have said before, it is crucial that the investigators are given the time and space to do their work without interference or prejudice. Air accidents are complex and require patience, expertise in several disciplines and attention to detail in order to discover what happened and why. Speculation on possible causes is unhelpful and could be seen as an attempt to unfairly influence or pre-empt the investigation.

Looking at operational matters, as a stop-gap measure to avoid any disruptions to its normal operations, LAM has leased a Boeing 737 from a South African charter company until a permanent replacement aircraft has been acquired.