Air France will   compensate through its insurers the families of the victims of a June 1 crash in which 228 people died, the company’s chief executive said on Friday.

Flight AF 447 from Rio de Janeiro to Paris crashed into the Atlantic after flying into stormy weather. The causes of the crash are not known. Brazilian and French ships are still searching the ocean for debris and bodies.

“For now we are going to concentrate on the first advance that will be paid for each victim, approximately e17,500 ($24,498),” Air France CEO Pierre_Henri Gourgeon said on RTL radio.

“The lawyers of our insurers in every country are talking to the victims’ families to try and organize this advance payment.” Gourgeon presented the payments as a compassionate gesture from the airline, not an admission of liability.

Passengers from 32 nationalities died in the crash of the Airbus 330. Among them were 61 French people and 58 Brazilians.