The recovery of bodies from the Kenya Airways plane crash in Cameroon has started, but identifying victims will be a slow process, said the airline on Tuesday.
Kenya Airways spokesperson Michael Okwiri said in a statement from Nairobi that the airline’s CE, Titus Naikuni, was at the crash site in Douala in Cameroon and ”has confirmed that the remains of 29 passengers were recovered last night [Monday]”.
They were among 114 people who died when Kenya Airways flight KQ507 crashed in a storm shortly after take-off from Douala on Sunday while en route to Nairobi.
”At this time, it seems unlikely that there are any survivors,” said Okwiri.
”It appears the aircraft broke up on impact.
”This inevitably and distressingly means that the bodies on board have also been badly damaged. This will make the identification process more complicated and time-consuming.”
Okwiri said the airline was bringing in victim-identification experts, including forensic and DNA personnel, together with equipment from the United Kingdom and elsewhere to help Cameroonian authorities.
They are expected on site on Wednesday.
He said access to the site for families was restricted due to the investigation, but the Cameroon authorities were reviewing this after a request by Naikuni to allow controlled access.
”Kenya Airways has been relaying this news to next-of-kin of the passengers and crew. Counselling services are also being provided on an ongoing basis, both in Nairobi and Douala,” said Okwiri.
Earlier on Tuesday, the airline said it was flying to Cameroon 19 relatives of the South Africans killed.
Eleven relatives were due to leave on Tuesday, following eight who left on Monday.
The airline said there were seven South Africans aboard, and 19 people had been bound for Johannesburg. — Sapa