 |
Air crash victims' bodies head home
2007/05/10
HERALD (Morning Final) 10 May 2007 Page 10
JOHANNESBURG - A South African company is helping to repatriate the bodies of several South Africans who died in the Kenya Airways plane crash in Cameroon at the weekend. Kenya Airways flight KQ507 crashed shortly after taking off in a storm from Douala, Cameroon, after midnight on Saturday. It was heading for Nairobi. All 114 people on board were killed. Seven South Africans were on the plane and 19 passengers were bound for Johannesburg. In Johannesburg yesterday, Europ Assistance SA medical division manager Diana Sharp said: "We are in contact with our team from Cameroon Assist and as soon as the bodies have been identified we will be co-ordinating their return to South Africa." The remains of 81 passengers have been recovered from the crash site, Kenya Airways said yesterday. Airline spokesman Michael Okwiri said in Nairobi: "The process of identification of the remains is still under way and once complete, the process of repatriating the remains back to their families will begin." Sharp said: "Clearly, we would prefer reuniting families, but unfortunately this is a case where that is not possible." She said the company would offer bereavement counselling to relatives and help with burials. Sharp said the plane had crashed into a mangrove swamp, which had resulted in much of the debris sinking, and the terrain called for specially designed vehicles like 4x4s. Much of the search is taking place on foot through thick mud. "This could be a long process as the crash site is difficult to work in."
|
 |
|
