Remains of 8 Pinoys in Afghan crash

Remains of 8 Pinoys in Afghan crash to be home soon, says De Castro

The bodies of the eight remaining Filipino fatalities in July 19’s helicopter crash in Afghanistan will be home soon, Vice President Noli De Castro said Thursday.

De Castro, who is also presidential adviser for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), said forensic experts have already taken DNA samples from the bodies to be matched with blood samples of their relatives in the Philippines.

“We received report from Philippine Ambassador to Kuwait Ricardo Endaya that representatives of the employer, AIM Group, together, with two British technicians, arrived in Kuwait and took blood samples from the bodies of the victims for DNA testing in London," De Castro said in a press statement.

The results of DNA testing are expected within 15 to 20 days and once the results are known, the remains of the victims could be flown to their respective families.

At present, the remains of the victims are at a United States military facility in Kuwait, he said.

Last Tuesday, the remains of the two other Filipino workers recovered in the crash were brought home. .[See: Remains-of-2-of-10-Pinoys-in-Afghanistan-crash-to-arrive-Tuesday]

The bodies of Manolito Hornilla and Leopoldo Jimenez were first to be repatriated because their remains were recognizable.

The vice president assured the families of the victims that the government will continue to help them acquire their claim for benefits from the victims’ employer and at the same time warned them against soliciting the services of unauthorized persons in facilitating their claims.

The victims were killed on July 19 after the Russian-owned civilian Mi-8 helicopter transporting them crashed on the tarmac in Kandahar Air Base shortly after takeoff at NATO's largest air base in Afghanistan. [See: 10 Pinoys killed in Afghan chopper crash] - GMANews.TV