Plane carrying bodies of Indians killed in Kuwait building fire lands in Kochi

A special Indian Air Force aircraft carrying mortal remains of Indian victims in the fire incident in Kuwait arrived at the Cochin International Airport here on Friday.

Union Minister of State Singh VK Singh who rushed to Kuwait on Thursday is onboard the flight carrying the bodies.

Union Minister Suresh Gopi and Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan were among those who were present at the airport.

Kerala Ministers Veena George, P Rajeev, K Rajan and Roshi Augustin were also present at the airport to recieve the mortal remains.

Leader of Opposition VD Satheesan, Union Minister Suresh Gopi, Congress MP Hibi Eden, BJP state president K Surendran and former Union Minister V Muraleedharan among others had also arrived ahead of the flight’s landing.

Speaking to ANI, Kerala Minister P Rajeev said that special ambulances have been arranged for each deceased and a police pilot has also been provided.

“Out of 45 deceased, the bodies of the residents of Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka will be brought here,” the Minister said.

The mortal remains of 31 victims brought to Kerala, included 23 from Kerala, seven from Tamil Nadu and one from Karnataka.

He further said that the state government is coordinating with the government of Tamil Nadu as well as the mortal remains of seven victims from Tamil Nadu were also being brought to Kochi by the special aircraft.

At least 45 Indians died in the huge fire that broke out in a labour accommodation in Kuwait’s Mangaf on June 12. This includes 23 from Kerala, seven from Tamil Nadu, three from Andhra Pradesh, and one each from Bihar, Odisha, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Haryana, Punjab and West Bengal.