"We have collected DNA samples from 147 relatives, of the total 191 families," head of the Sukanto Police Hospital Sen. Com. Musyafak stated here on Wednesday.
Musyafak has called on the victims` next of kin, who have yet to submit their DNA samples, to visit the hospital`s ante mortem post.
At least 15 forensic doctors, 10 dentists, and four DNA experts have been working to identify the body parts that the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) had recovered from the Java Sea.
The police have also deployed a forensic team from the University of Indonesia, Padjajaran University, and Fatmawati Hospital.
The team has faced problems in identification and only relied on the DNA samples for identification, as they only received body parts recovered from the location of the crash.
After identification, the corpse will be placed in a coffin and handed over to the family.
Lion Air flight JT 610 crashed into the sea off Tanjung Karawang, West Java, 13 minutes after taking off from Cengkareng`s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport at 6:20 a.m. local time on its way to Pangkalpinang in Bangka Belitung Province on Monday.
The ill-fated plane, with 189 people on board, was reported to have lost contact at 6:33 a.m. local time.
Reporting by Tessa Qurrata Aini
Editing by Sri Haryati
Reporter: Antara
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
Copyright © ANTARA 2018
