IAF aircraft carrying bodies of 14 of 45 Indians who died in Kuwait building fire landed in Delhi from Kochi.
MPs Yogendra Chandolia, Kamaljeet Sehrawat, Bansuri Swaraj and other leaders were present at the airport to receive the mortal remains.
MoS MEA Kirti Vardhan Singh, who coordinated with Kuwaiti authorities for swift repatriation of the bodies,on his arrival in the national capital said to ANI, "It is a very sad incident...Our Foreign Minister spoke to the Foreign Minister of Kuwait, we met the Foreign Minister and Health Minister there, they cooperated with us a lot."
"We met the injured in the hospital, and most of the people will be discharged in 1-2 days, one person is serious and is admitted to ICU...Some people have fractures in their hands and legs, and they are being treated. Our embassy is constantly in touch with the injured and they are monitoring the situation...The Kuwait government has been cooperative due to which we have been able to bring the bodies of the deceased here so quickly..."
The aircraft landed at Kochi airport around 10.30 am on Friday. 23 ambulances with bodies of Keralites who lost their lives in the fire at a labor camp in Kuwait left the Nedumbaserry International Airport for their native places across Kerala. Police escorted each ambulance.
Heart-rending scenes were witnessed when the bodies were handed over to the family members and friends. They embraced the caskets with tears. Close family members accompanied the bodies in the ambulances.
The bodies of seven Tamilians will also leave from Kochi airport to their respective hometowns.
The IAF aircraft flew to Delhi with the remaining 14 bodies.
Apart from the South Indians, three persons from Uttar Pradesh, two from Odisha, and one each from Bihar, Punjab, Karnataka, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Jharkhand and Haryana lost their lives in the fire accident.
Minister of state for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh, who reached Kuwait on Thursday, coordinated with Kuwaiti authorities to ensure swift repatriation, also arrived in the IAF aircraft, the Indian embassy said.
Earlier, Kerala Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan and other ministers paid floral homage to the bodies of the Keralites.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and ministers K Rajan, P Rajeeve and Veena George received the bodies at the airport.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said, "The tragedy is an irreparable loss to the families. After the fire incident, the Kuwaiti government has taken all steps to help the Indian government in the repatriation of the mortal remains. The central government has also taken a proactive steps by sending a union minister to Kuwait. We hope that the Kuwaiti government would take steps to ensure such incidents are not repeated."
A Kerala Police pilot vehicle will be deputed to accompany all ambulances carrying the bodies, including those going to Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.
Babu, the father of one of the victims, Cibin Abraham, was working in the same company for around 18 years and returned to Kerala only in 2022.
"I was also working with the same company and stayed near this building. Now, a few Tamil Nadu natives who passed away in the accident were my friends then. This incident was unexpected, and I didn't know I would lose my son and friends," said Babu.
with heavy heart, Babu is waiting at the Kochi airport to receive his son's moral remains.
Heartbreaking scenes from Kochi airport
Keralites who lost their life in the tragic building fire
1. Akash Nair of Pandalam in Pathanamthitta
2. Muraleedharan Nair of Vazhamuttom in Pathanamthitta
3. Saju Varghese of Konni in Pathanamthitta
4. Cibin Abraham of Keezhvaipur in Pathanamthitta
5. Thomas Oommen of Tiruvalla in Pathanamthitta
6. Sajan George of Karavaloor in Kollam
7. Shameer Umarudeen of Vayyankara in Kollam
8. Lukose Vadakkottu of Velichikkala in Kollam
9. Sumesh Pillai of Perinad in Kollam
10. Viswas Krishna of Dharmadom in Kannur
11. Aneesh Kumar of Kadalayi in Kannur
12. Nithin Koothur of Padiyotchal in Kannur
13. Sreehari Pradeep of Changanassery in Kottayam
14. Stephin Abraham of Pampady in Kottayam
15. Shibu Varghese of Paippad in Kottayam
16. Noohu K P of Koottayi in Malappuram
17. M P Bahuleyan of Pulamanthol in Malappuram
18. Arun Babu of Nedumangad in Thiruvananthapuram
19. Sreejesh Nair of Edava in Thiruvananthapuram
20. Kelu Ponmaleri of Thrikkaripur in Kasaragod
21. Renjith K R of Cherkala in Kasaragod
22. Binoy Thomas of Chavakkad in Thrissur
23. Mathew George of Chengannur in Alappuzha
Deceased Tamilians
1. Ramu Karuppannan of Ettivayal in Ramanathapuram
2. Mohammed Sharief of Tindivanam in Villupuram
3. Bhunaf Richard Ray of Peravurani in Thanjavur
4. G Sivashankar of Royapuram in Chennai
5. K Chinnadhurai of Muttom in Cuddalore
6. V Mariappan of Vanaramutty in Thoothukudi
7. E Raju of Tiruchy
Andhra Pradesh victims
1. Thamada Lokanadham from Sompeta in Srikakulam
2. Molleti Satyanarayana from Khandavalli village in West Godavari
3. Meesala Eeswarudu from Annavarappadu village in West Godavari
Leader of Oppisition VD Satheesan criticize centre for deying permission for Veena George to travel to Kuwait.
Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan, who reached the Kochi airport, criticised the central government for denying permission for the Kerala government representative to travel to Kuwait and assist the repatriation of the mortal remains.
"These people (the deceased) left for Kuwait to take care of their families. Unfortunately, the accident took the lives of these many people, from Kerala and other states. The state and central governments should work together in such situations. It is not a good decision from the central government to deny permission for Minister of Health, Veena George, to travel to Kuwait. It send out a wrong message," Satheesan said.
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(With inputs from online desk)