NIGERIA: Relatives of the 153 victims of Sunday's plane crash in Nigeria face the grim task of identifying the remains of their loved ones

Record ID: 235703

  • Title: NIGERIA: Relatives of the 153 victims of Sunday's plane crash in Nigeria face the grim task of identifying the remains of their loved ones
  • Date: 6th June 2012
  • Summary: LAGOS, NIGERIA (JUNE 5, 2012) (REUTERS) RELATIVES OF PLANE CRASH VICTIMS WAITING OUTSIDE THE PATHOLOGY AND FORENSIC HOSPITAL VARIOUS OF RELATIVES MAKING PHONE CALLS A GROUP OF RELATIVES TALKING WITH ONE ANOTHER (SOUNDBITE) (English) DOGBO ANTHONY, CIVIL SERVANT, SAYING: "He called me before he left Abuja that he has just boarded the plane -- that was around 2:30. The next thing, I just hear the sad news that I lost my brother, so I am just here today to do the DNA." VARIOUS OF RELATIVES FILLING IN FORMS AT THE HOSPITAL DR. DAVID OKE, CHIEF MEDICAL DIRECTOR OF LAGOS STATE UNIVERSITY TEACHING HOSPITAL, UPDATING RELATIVES ON THE IDENTIFICATION PROCESS RELATIVES LISTENING (SOUNDBITE) (English) DR. DAVID OKE, SAYING: "We have a total of 43 bodies, 29 of them have been identified by relatives and they are being processed now, post mortem has to be carried out, and as soon as that is done, the process of release will be activated. We expect that in the next 2-3 days that would be dealt with. We have 14 left that will be displayed in the next hour for relations to try and identify them, and we will process that as well. We are also aware that there are more (bodies) coming and some of the bodies in our sister hospitals are really burnt beyond recognition and may need some more forensic assessment." VARIOUS OF RELATIVES FILLING FORMS AT THE HOSPITAL LAGOS, NIGERIA (JUNE 4, 2012) (REUTERS) FIRE FIGHTING AND EARTH MOVING EQUIPMENT AT THE CRASH SITE BUILDING DAMAGED BY THE CRASH EARTH MOVING MACHINE REMOVING RUBBLE FROM THE CRASH SITE TAIL END OF THE PLANE BURNT FUSELAGE PASTOR DANIEL OMOWUNMI TALKING TO RADIO REPORTER (SOUNDBITE) (English) PASTOR DANIEL OMOWUNNMI, SAYING: "The fact that I am alive, I think that is the work of God. If I wasn't alive, I would not be talking here, the good thing is that my wife, my children nobody...even my dog...my mother, the house, so all of them, because I go to church with everybody. So that's the situation." RESCUE WORKERS AND FIRE SPRAYING WATER ON BURNING BOOKS AT THE CRASH SITE POLICEMEN AT THE SITE CROWDS OF PEOPLE RUSHING TO THE CRASH SITE SOLDIERS GOING TO THE CRASH SITE
  • Embargoed: 21st June 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Nigeria
  • Country: Nigeria
  • Topics: Accidents
  • Reuters ID: LVA722I52VUGST89ZMAO41SSEPMY
  • Story Text: Relatives of victims of the Nigerian plane crash began the grim task of identifying the remains of their loved ones at the various hospitals in Lagos on Tuesday (June 5).
    All 153 people on board the Dana Air flight were killed on Sunday when the passenger plane plunged into a densely populated part of Nigeria's commercial hub, Lagos.
    Those who lost relatives and friends have been camping at hospitals throughout the city to try and identify the remains of their loved ones.
    Dogbo Anthony, who lost his brother in the crash, has been waiting at the Lagos University Training Hospital (LASUTH) since Monday (June 4) to try and identify his sibling.
    "He called me before he left Abuja that he has just boarded the plane -- that was around 2:30. The next thing, I just hear the sad news that I lost my brother, so I am just her today to do the DNA," he said.
    Medical Director of Lagos University Hospital, Doctor David Oke, said the process would take a bit longer because most of the bodies had been damaged beyond recognition.
    "We have a total of 43 bodies, 29 of them have been identified by relatives and they are being processed now, post mortem has to be carried out, and as soon as that is done, the process of release will be activated. We expect that in the next 2-3 days that would be dealt with. We have 14 left that will be displayed in the next hour for relations to try and identify them, and we will process that as well. We are also aware that there are more (bodies) coming and some of the bodies in our sister hospitals are really burnt beyond recognition and may need some more forensic assessment," he said.
    The Nigerian government has declared three days of national mourning and ordered an investigation into the cause of the crash which jolted residents of Lagos' Agege suburb where most live in tin-roofed buildings along unpaved streets.
    The McDonnell Douglas MD-83, operated by privately owned domestic carrier Dana Air, was coming into land on a flight from the capital Abuja when it hit the building, not far from Lagos's Murtala Muhammed Airport, at 2:44 p.m. (1344 GMT) and burst into flames, according to the airline.
    Pastor Daniel Omowunmi, the owner of the high rise building and warehouse that were completely destroyed by the crash, said he had gone to church on the fateful day to dedicate his new property to God and was meant to return home with church members to celebrate. He attributed the group's survival to a miracle.
    "The fact that I am alive, I think that is the work of God. If I wasn't alive, I would not be talking here, the good thing is that my wife, my children nobody...even my dog...my mother, the house, so all of them, because I go to church with everybody. So that's the situation," he said.
    Dana Air said it was still investigating what caused the crash.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2012. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register