Victim’s Assistance- History of States’ engagements through ICAO

32nd Assembly

In 1998, during the 32nd Session of the ICAO Assembly, the subject of assistance to aircraft accident victims and their families was considered for the first time.

The Assembly adopted Resolution A32-7 at that time, which underscored that:

• the State of Occurrence should address the most critical needs of persons affected by a civil aviation accident;
• that the policy of ICAO should be to ensure that the mental, physical and spiritual well-being of victims involved in civil aviation accidents and their families are considered and accommodated by ICAO and its Contracting States;
•  and that States should work to achievement alignment in their approaches to assisting victims of civil aviation accidents and their families.

During the same session, the Assembly also called on States to reaffirm their related commitments to support victims of civil aviation accidents and their family members.

It urged them to collaboratively and promptly develop and implement regulations and programmes to provide such support.

And lastly it urged the ICAO Council to develop materials to assist States in recognizing the priorities concerned.

Recent engagements

The subject of assistance to aircraft accident victims and their families was further addressed in a side meeting during the 13th Air Navigation Conference, and again in 2019 during the 40th Session of the ICAO Assembly, when more specific revisions were requested to Annex 9 of the Chicago Convention.