A special Indian Air Force aircraft, the C-130J, has taken off for Kochi early Friday morning, carrying the mortal remains of 45 Indian victims who perished in a fire in Mangaf, Kuwait.
Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh, who arrived in Kuwait on June 13, Thursday to coordinate with Kuwaiti authorities for the swift repatriation, is also onboard the aircraft, according to a statement from the Indian embassy.
Kuwaiti authorities have confirmed the identification of the bodies of 45 Indians and three Filipino nationals who were killed in the devastating fire at a building that housed foreign workers in southern Kuwait.
The blaze resulted in the deaths of at least 49 migrant workers and injured 50 others. The Kuwaiti Fire Force attributed the blaze to an “electrical circuit” malfunction.
An official from the Department of Non-Resident Keralites' Affairs (NORKA) mentioned, based on information from its help desk in Kuwait, that 24 Malayalees were among the deceased, with 22 of them identified.
Additionally, Tamil Nadu’s Minister for Minorities Welfare and Non-Resident Tamils Welfare, Gingee KS Masthan, had earlier reported, citing Tamil associations abroad, that five individuals from Tamil Nadu were also killed in the incident.
10 key updates from the Kuwait fire tragedy:
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Repatriation by IAF: Officials in Delhi confirmed that the IAF's C-130J transport aircraft is bringing back the bodies of the victims. The aircraft will first land in Kochi, as most of the deceased are from Kerala, before proceeding to Delhi to accommodate victims from northern Indian states.
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Identification process: Kuwaiti authorities conducted DNA tests to identify the bodies. The Kuwaiti Fire Force attributed the fire to an electrical circuit malfunction.
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Ministerial visit: Kirti Vardhan Singh met with Kuwait's Foreign Minister Abdullah Ali Al-Yahya, Al-Sabah, and Health Minister Ahmad Abdelwahab Ahmad Al-Awadi. He also visited Mubarak Al Kabeer Hospital and Jaber Hospital, where several injured Indians are receiving treatment.
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Arrests and inspections: A Kuwaiti citizen and several foreigners have been arrested on charges of manslaughter and causing injuries due to negligence. Sheikh Fahad is leading an inspection campaign on illegal properties across Kuwait.
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Financial assistance: Kuwait's Emir, Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber al-Sabah, has directed the distribution of financial assistance to the families of the deceased. The specific amount of compensation has not been disclosed.
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Lulu group relief fund: NRI businessman and chairman of UAE-based Lulu Group, MA Yusuff Ali, announced ₹5 lakh for each family of the deceased. This relief fund aims to provide immediate financial support to the affected families.
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Prime minister's meeting: Prime Minister Narendra Modi reviewed the situation in a meeting with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, NSA Ajit Doval, Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra, and other key officials. The Prime Minister instructed that all possible assistance be extended.
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Ex gratia relief: Prime Minister Modi announced ₹2 lakh ex gratia relief from the PM Relief Fund for the families of the deceased Indian nationals.
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Tamil Nadu victims: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin confirmed that seven Tamils were among the deceased. The victims are Veerasamy Mariappan, E Raju, Krishnamurthy Chinnadurai, Sivasankaran Govindan, P Richard, Karuppannan Ramu, and Mohamed Sharif.
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Andhra Pradesh victims: The Andhra Pradesh government identified three migrant workers from the state who died in the fire: T Lokanandam from Srikakulam district, M Satyanarayana, and M Eshwarudu from West Godavari district.
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Uttar Pradesh victims: The Uttar Pradesh government confirmed three victims from the state: Praveen Madhav Singh of Varanasi, Jairam Gupta, and Angad Gupta of Gorakhpur.
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