Accident victims' bodies to be handed over to missions

The bodies of victims who perished in the accident at the Drydocks last Wednesday will be repatriated, said sources at Dubai Police.

A total of 27 bodies already recovered from the water and wreckage will be handed over to the respective embassies and consulates, who will fly them back home for burial.

Two bodies are yet to be found. In a bid to retrieve these two bodies, the Dubai Drydocks has instructed rescue workers to remove equipment that fell on to the ships during the accident.

All the casualties were permanent employees of the Drydocks, most of whom were Filipino, Indian, Sri Lankan and Bangladeshi.

The next of kin are being informed and the embassies and consulates have received a list of names.

The latest list issued by the Philippine Embassy shows the following as confirmed dead: M.T. Sumagang, Roland Romero, H.R. Santos, Rodrigues J. , Ferdinand V. , L.S. Mercado, Consunji Lijo Jr. , Joseph J. Cayaban, C. G. Silang, V.C. Gustilo, S.H. Basero, B.R. Canlas, H.C. Sumanga, J.S. Lucero, H.S.M. Sanchez, and A.F. Pullido.

Nine Indians are confirmed dead: K. Philip George, Alex Samuel, Sunil Kumar Naraya-nan, M. Pasha, M.R. Naidu, V. Keshavan, Ivan Simathy, B. Palani and Dilli Ganesh.

Others confirmed dead are two Sri Lankans, Jayasurya Dinesh Pareira and Anura Kulathantrige, and a lone Bangladeshi, Joinal Abdin.