DNA sampling underway to identify crash victims

Samples collected from 47 family members, 19 bodies identified, says health minister


Sameer Mandhro May 23, 2020
Samples collected from 47 family members, 19 bodies identified, says health minister. PHOTO: REUTERS/FILE

KARACHI: Families of the victims of the plane crash in Model Colony visited the University of Karachi (KU) on Saturday, where a sample collection point has been set up for the purpose of DNA testing to identify the deceased.

According to South deputy commissioner Irshad Sodhar, the collection point has been set up at a forensic laboratory at the varsity and the bereaved family members have been requested to visit the facility for sampling.

"It is necessary for identifying victims who thus far remain unidentified," he remarked.

As per KU officials, they are prioritising collecting samples from the victims' parents, followed by their children and siblings, in that order. Meanwhile, the samples collected at Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) and Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital Karachi (CHK) have already been sent to the laboratory for testing, one of the officials said.

Another official told The Express Tribune that more than two samples were being collected from each family.

Sindh Health Ministry reports 97 deaths, two survivors in Karachi plane crash

They were unable to specify the time it would take to test the samples, some estimating that it could take three to five days. However, according to Sindh Health Minister Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho, it will take around 21 days for the test results to come.

Addressing a press conference on Saturday, Pechuho said that rescue workers had recovered 97 bodies from the rubble, all of which were likely those of passengers on board the aircraft.

She said that the deceased include 68 males, 26 females and three children, adding that samples from the unidentifiable bodies, which had been burned beyond recognition, were sent to KU for testing while 47 samples had been collected from the bereaved family members at the varsity.

She said that 19 bodies had been identified so far and six injured persons, including two surviving passengers and four residents of Model Colony, were under treatment.

The surviving passengers have been identified as Muhammad Zubair and Zafar Masood.

Earlier, JPMC executive director Dr Seemin Jamali told The Express Tribune that 66 bodies brought to the hospital were sent for medical examination and identification, among which 17 were handed over to the heirs after identification.

The identified bodies include those of Captain Sajjad Gul, Muhammad Tahir, Fareeha Rasool, Faryal Begum, Syeda Saima Imran, Farhan, Dilshad Ahmed, Shaheed Mohammad Ahmed, Nida Waqas, Ammar Rashid, Shehnaz Parveen, Shoaib Raza, Waqas Tariq, Iqra Shahid, Maham and Aliza Sheriyar.

Govt to compensate families of crash victims, residents of Model Colony

Dr Jamali stated that the hospital staff had promptly taken samples from the bodies for DNA testing.

According to JPMC and CHK managements, all bodies had been shifted to morgues by Saturday and now just three persons injured in the incident were undergoing treatment at CHK.

"None of the injured from the crash are being treated at JPMC," clarified Dr Jamali.

Meanwhile, according to Edhi Foundation spokesperson Muhammad Bilal, as many as 53 bodies of the victims were shifted from JPMC and CHK to the welfare organisation's morgue in Sohrab Goth.

"Among them, seven have been identified and handed over to their families," he said.

According to the Sindh health department, only two passengers onboard the aircraft have survived the crash. "All others died in the accident," said health department spokesperson Meeran Yousuf. She said that 66 bodies were shifted to JPMC and 31 to CHK following the crash, including six women and 25 men.

From those shifted to DRPCHK, three of the deceased have been identified as Major Sheriyar, Lieutenant Balach and Syed Danish Shah, son of Syed Ahad Shah. The bodies of Major Sheriyar and Lieutenant Balach were shifted to Combined Military Hospital.

Saying that the identification process was to continue in the coming days, Yousuf maintained that the police has been assigned the task to collect DNA samples and they were to share the details of the developments in this regard with the health department.

Meanwhile, forensic teams from the Punjab Forensic Science Agency (PFSA) reached Karachi on Saturday to collect DNA samples from the victims of the crash for testing in Lahore.

(With additional input from APP)

COMMENTS

Replying to X

Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.

For more information, please see our Comments FAQ