The relatives of those who lost their lives in Wednesday's Saurya Airlines crash have put forth the surety of compensation as a condition for receiving the bodies.

Earlier on Thursday, the victims’ relatives, the officials from the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, and the representatives from the airlines discussed the issue of compensation at a meeting at the TU Teaching Hospital, Maharajganj.

Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Badri Pandey, Saurya Airlines Accountable Manager Gopal Bhattarai and the relatives of the people who lost their lives in the crash had discussed the matter.

Bhattarai said they had promised “a reasonable compensation amount” to the relatives. He, however, did not disclose the amount.

Claiming that the official who represented the airlines during the discussion was not fully mandated to announce the compensation, the victims’ relatives sought the participation of high-level officials with a full mandate to decide for the airlines.

The ministry said that the next meeting between the officials from the ministry, the airlines and the relatives of the victims would be held on Friday.

A total of 18 people, including a crew member, were killed when a Pokhara-bound 9N-AME aircraft of Saurya Airlines crashed immediately after takeoff at the Tribhuvan International Airport, Kathmandu.

Captain MR Shakya was rescued from the crash site and has been recuperating at the KMC Hospital in Sinamangal.