DNA tests a must

KATHMANDU: With the bodies of the Sita Air Dornier crash victims charred beyond recognition in the fire that engulfed the plane after yesterday’s disaster, forensic experts are finding it tough to conduct post-mortems and identify the victims.

All of the 19 — seven Nepalis, seven Britons and five Chinese nationals — on board the plane died in the second air crash in the country within five months. Dr Harihar Osti, forensic expert at the Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital, said post-mortems were expected to complete by tonight.

“Officials are collecting data on the crash victims and their belongings. We are preparing to recommend the government to conduct DNA tests to establish the deceased’s identities,” he informed.

Although officials from British and Chinese embassies and kin of the deceased have been demanding they be allowed to take stock of the bodies, the hospital said the bodies would not be handed over to the families until DNA tests are conducted.

Experts are facing a tough time identifying the victims’ body parts. They said only DNA tests can determine which parts belong to whom.

Sunday 30 September 2012

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