KLANG: The bodies of the victims of the Elmina plane crash could be released to their families earliest by Monday (Aug 21), says Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain.
At a briefing with the victims’ families at Hospital Tengku Ampuan Rahimah here on Friday (Aug 18), Razarudin said the DNA test being carried out to identify the victims' identities will take time.
“We have to give the Chemistry Department a chance to do their part,” he said.
He also advised the next-of-kin to go home or to their respective accommodations instead of waiting at the hospital.
“Once the process has concluded. We will call,” he added.
On Thursday (Aug 17), 10 men were killed including two road users after a light plane crashed in the city promenade of Elmina, near the Guthrie Highway, at 2.50pm.
Pelangai assemblyman and Pahang exco member Datuk Seri Johari Harun was among those killed.
The DNA matching is still ongoing as the authorities have collected DNA samples from 22 family members of the victims in order to identify the remains.
However, Razarudin said the matching of DNA with the remains found from the crash site will take between three to four hours per person.
Speaking to the reporters later, Razarudin also said the processes of retrieving the remains of the victims at the crash site in Elmina has completed.
Following that, he said the traffic routes around the crash site have been reopened as of 3pm.
On the burial processes, Razarudin said the The Selangor Islamic Religious Department (JAIS) is ready to transport the victims remains to respective hometown as well as performing funeral rites.
“We have 10 vans on standby from JAIS and the police will escort the families,” he said
