Muscat death: Govt lashes out at airline, airport authorities

New Delhi: The Indian government has blamed the airline and local airport authorities for negligence that could have led to the death of a housemaid of Indian origin, Beebi Lumada, in Muscat. She died after being stranded at the airport in Muscat for four days.
Overseas Indian affairs minister Vayalar Ravi said, "The airport and airline authorities should have been more responsible. Valid papers are necessary but not more than a person's life." Sources said that delay by the emigration authorities at Muscat to provide Lumada's details had left her stranded and could have led to her ill-health.
The MOIA had asked for a report from the Indian ambassador in Oman. Sources said the ambassador had already sent his report to the government.
According to sources, Lumada was flying to Thiruvananthapuram on Qatar Airways via Doha, where officials turned her back to Muscat on October 4 after she lost her passport.
She was detained at Muscat airport's transit area, where she was provided with food while the Indian Embassy officials got in touch with her. "The airlines kept the embassy officials waiting for the information despite the Indian Embassy offering to provide a temporary passport in the form of an emergency certificate and other facilities like food," an official said.
12/10/10 Times of India

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Categories: airports Oct 2010, Foreign Oct 2010