The airforce flight carrying bodies landed at Nedumbassery International airport around 10.30am. After completing the one hour long procedures of clearances by customs, health and immigration authorities the bodies of 23 Malayalees, seven Tamilnadu natives and one Karnataka native were kept infront of the Cargo terminal of the airport for the people’s representatives and officials to pay homage.
The air cargo terminal of the airport witnessed emotional scenes when the relatives paid homage to the deceased persons.
The bodies were transported to the homes of deceased persons, in ambulances. All ambulances were escorted by police. The Kerala police will escort the ambulances carried the bodies of Tamilnadu natives until the state border.
Earlier the airforce flight was scheduled to arrive at 7.30am. But, later it was postponed. The state goverment and airport authorities made elaborate arrangements to recieve bodies, early morning itself. Apart from hundreds of police and revenue officials, around 30 airport officials also were deployed to coordinate this.
speaking to reporters at the airport, said that expatriates were the lifeline of Kerala and the deaths of so many Indian expatriates in the fire was a “huge disaster for the country”.
He said that the incident was also a huge disaster for the expatriate community. It is an unending loss for the families of the deceased. The Kuwaiti government has taken strong and effective action following the incident and the Indian government intervened in a good way, he said.
Revenue minister K Rajan, health minister Veena Gerge, Industry Minister P Rajeev, MPs and MLAs were also present along with others at the airport.
The final rites of deceased would be held in the coming days.