Families of Nigeria air crash victims to get $100K

Rescue workers gather at the site of a plane crash in Lagos, Monday, June 4, 2012. / AP Photo/Sunday Alamba

LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) - A grounded Nigerian airline says it has started compensating families of those who died when one of its planes crashed a month ago, with each family expected to get $100,000.

The Dana Air plane crashed June 3 in Lagos, Nigeria's commercial capital, killing all 153 people onboard and an unknown number on the ground.

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Airline spokesman Tony Usidamen said Wednesday that nine families had received deposit payments of $30,000 so far, and will later get $70,000 more. He says 67 other claims are currently being processed.

Authorities grounded the airline after the crash, and the cause of the disaster is still unknown.

Usidamen says the airline is "not thinking about flying now; we are more concerned about the accident victims' families."