ICAO 9998 [ Active ]

GENERAL 

Family assistance is the provision of services and information to address the concerns and the needs of the aircraft accident victims and their families. 

Determining the extent of the family and who is entitled to assistance is perhaps the most difficult and most important aspect of the planning process. The concept of family differs between cultures and populations. The most prudent approach from the onset is to keep the definition broad and inclusive, with due consideration for existing specifications in States related to persons, other than family members, who can be responsible for the legal affairs of a deceased victim. 

The provision of family assistance requires the commitment of resources in several areas, including those regarding:

a) information about the occurrence;

b) emergency response to the accident;

c) coordination of travel to and lodging at a family assistance center, as well as assistance to those not travelling;

d) coordination of a visit to the accident site, where access is practicable;

e) support for immediate financial needs;

f) information about the location and status of the victims, and the recovery, identification and disposition of remains;

g) information regarding the recovery, management and return of personal effects;

h) social, emotional and psychological support; and

i) information about the progress of the investigation and its objective.

Proper coordination is critical to establish an effective short- and long-term response to the needs of accident victims and their families. The Council strongly encourages States, air operators, airport operators and third parties to apply, without delay, the ICAO policies in this document regarding the provision of assistance to aircraft accident victims and their families.

Note 1.— ICAO Circular 285 ─ Guidance on Assistance to Aircraft Accident Victims and their Families (to be reissued as Doc 9973), provides additional information and guidance material on the provision of family assistance.

Note 2.— The following terms are used in this document: aircraft accident, aircraft accident investigation authority, air operator, airport operator, coordinator/coordinating agency, providers of family assistance, State of Occurrence, survivor, and victim. The definitions of these terms can be found in Appendix 1 – Glossary of Terms.