Nepali Authorities Start Handing Over Bodies From Fatal Air Crash

Three days after a tragic air crash at Tribhuvan International Airport killed 18 people, Nepali authorities began handing over victims' bodies to their families. Five bodies were released for cremation following autopsy, with identification completed under 'Disaster Victim Identification' (DVI).

Three days after the fatal air crash at Tribhuvan International Airport which claimed 18 lives, Nepali authorities have begun the process of returning the victims' bodies to their respective families. Starting Friday, five bodies were handed over for cremation after completing the necessary autopsy at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital (TUTH).

Authorities confirmed that the victims' identities were established through the 'Disaster Victim Identification' (DVI) process. Families of those who perished in the crash of a Saurya Airlines aircraft have faced a long wait and extensive paperwork before receiving the remains of their loved ones.

A team of 25 doctors was deployed at the TUTH morgue to expedite the identification process and facilitate the handover of the bodies. Prior to this formal handover, family members were invited for identification purposes. 'A total of five bodies have been handed over for cremation, including those of Uddav Puri, Ashmin Niraula, Shyam Bindukar, Sushant Katuwal, and Rajaram Acharya,' stated Amar Thapa, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Maharajgunj. 'More bodies will be handed over tomorrow,' he added.

The crash occurred at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu on July 24, when a Saurya Airlines aircraft, carrying 19 individuals including two crew members, crashed while en route to Pokhara. The plane took off from Kathmandu at 11:11 am local time and crashed shortly after on the east side of the runway.

Rescue teams quickly managed to extinguish the resulting fire and began recovery operations. All bodies were recovered, and one injured person, the pilot, was taken to the hospital and is the lone survivor. The flight, a CRJ-200 model with tail number 9N-AME, was only carrying technical staff without any passengers, as confirmed by Gyanendra Bhul, information officer at Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA).

(With inputs from agencies.)