decease

"I want the family to understand that the work done from day one was intense and in the end we managed to find the body of the deceased," he told Spotlight.

This is what happened in the Qatar Airways case, when Mr Ring said the deceased passenger couldn't be carried down the aisle.

It did pay $1,350 to each of the families of the deceased, saying any further money would only be forthcoming if government agencies were "found to be responsible".

Authorities discovered the deceased couple in their New Mexico home last month.

"It's quite possible that he was not aware that she was deceased."