Kuwait Fire: Bodies of 45 Identified
IAF aircraft is on standby to bring back the mortal remains, officials said
New Delhi: Following the horrific fire incident in a building housing foreign workers in Kuwait on Wednesday, in which at least 45 Indian workers were killed and over 50 were injured, minister of state (MoS) for external affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh reached the Gulf nation on Thursday and visited hospitals where the injured are being treated. While the Kuwaiti authorities are working on identifying the deceased, an IAF aircraft is on standby to bring back the mortal remains, officials said.
Mr Singh, according to the foreign ministry officials, has reached Kuwait to oversee assistance to Indians injured in the fire and to ensure early repatriation of mortal remains.
Hours after arriving in Kuwait, Mr Singh met the Gulf nation's foreign minister Abdullah Ali Al-Yahya. Later, he called on the Kuwaiti first deputy Prime Minister Sheikh Fahad Yousef Saud Al-Sabah, who conveyed Kuwait’s “condolences on behalf of the Amir and his instructions to ensure all necessary assistance and support.”
Mr Singh also visited the Jaber, Mubarak Al-Kabeer and Adan hospitals where the injured Indians are being treated.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had earlier directed the MoS to rush to the Gulf nation immediately to “oversee assistance to those injured in the fire tragedy and to coordinate with the Kuwaiti authorities” for early repatriation of the mortal remains of the deceased.
New Delhi had stated late on Wednesday night, “In an unfortunate and tragic fire incident earlier today in a Labour housing facility in Mangaf area of Kuwait, around 40 Indians are understood to have died and over 50 injured. The Embassy is ascertaining the full details from the concerned Kuwaiti authorities and the company. We offer our deepest condolences to the bereaved families... The embassy is receiving full cooperation from the Kuwaiti authorities."
On Thursday, Kuwait said authorities have identified the bodies of 45 Indians and three Filipino nationals killed in the tragic fire incident in a building housing foreign workers. The Gulf Kingdom vowed to promptly investigate the incident and assured full support in repatriating the mortal remains of the victims.