With regard to the condition of the victims' bodies, The Indonesian Police`s Disaster Victim Identification Chief Anton Castilani said it was impossible to identify the bodies based on their fingerprints, so DNA tests would be necessary.
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The rescue team is evacuating 12 bodies of the crashed Sukhoi Superjet 100 victims from the crash site to a temporary helipad in a nearby evacuation post.

The Indonesian Police`s Disaster Victim Identification Chief Anton Castilani said at Halim Perdanakusumah airport, Jakarta, on Friday that the team was in the process of evacuating 12 bodies, which would be carried in the 10 available body bags.

With regard to the condition of the victims' bodies, Anton said it was impossible to identify the bodies based on their fingerprints, so DNA tests would be necessary.

Currently, only 29 DNA samples of the victims' families are available, which have been provided to the Disaster Victim Identification team at Halim Perdanakusumah airport.

Besides fingerprints, personal data such as dental record, physical features, and the latest accessories of the passengers on board the ill-fated aircraft will be used in the identification process.

The rescue team has so far found 12 bodies of the passengers of the Sukhoi Superjet 100 plane that crashed into Mount Salak, West Java, on Wednesday, May 9, 2012.

"The land rescue team has found 12 lifeless bodies, but we are still unable to identify them," National Search And Rescue Ageny Chief Daryatmo said in a press conference at the Halim Perdanakusumah airbase in Jakarta on Friday.

The condition of the passengers' bodies is also not clear yet.

The joint rescue team comprises members of the National Search and Rescue Agency, Indonesian Army, Air Force, Navy, Marines, Police, and Mobile Brigade.

The crashed Sukhoi Superjet 100 aircraft was carrying about 50 invited guests, including businessmen, officials, and five journalists, during a promotional event ahead of the sale of the Russian aircraft series in Indonesia.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2012