Forensic team from Hyderabad to help identify crash victims

MANGALORE - Forensic experts from Hyderabad arrived here Sunday morning to conduct DNA tests to help identify several bodies charred beyond recognition in Saturday’s Air India Express plane crash that killed 158 people, police and hospital officials said.

The number of bodies to be identified with DNA tests is still not clear as relatives and friends of the victims continued their efforts to try and recognise their near and dear ones through the night at the government Wenlock hospital mortuary.

A Wenlock hospital spokesperson said around 80 bodies have been identified and will be handed over to the relatives.

All eight survivors of the crash, being treated at various hospitals in the city, were out of danger. Most of them had suffered cuts, bruises or minor burn injuries.

Heart-rending scenes were witnessed at Wenlock as grieving relatives and friends had to go through the traumatic experience of looking at scores of badly burnt bodies to identify them.

Among the 158 dead were 19 children and four infants.

The IX 812 Dubai-Mangalore flight overshot the runway while landing at the Bajpe airport, about 20 km away, early Saturday and caught fire after plunging about 300 metres into a cliff.

All passengers were Indians, many returning home from Dubai where they worked.