Indian Air Force Aircraft Departs For Kuwait To Repatriate Bodies Of Fire Victims — Updates

Union Minister Kirti Vardhan Singh arrived in Kuwait to take stock of the situation and oversee assistance for those who sustained injuries following the fire tragedy. 

Smoke billows after a fire broke out in a building, in Mangaf, Kuwait, Wednesday.

Source : PTI

Kuwait Fire Incident: In the latest updates pertaining to the Kuwait fire incident, an Indian Air Force C-130J Super Hecules transport aircraft departed for Kuwait to repatriate the bodies of Indian-origin individuals who were killed in a recent fire incident, news agency ANI reported on Thursday citing officials. The aircraft is expected to return with the bodies tomorrow. Earlier in the day, the Kuwait government had issued orders to arrest the owner of the residential buiding where the massive fire broke out claiming lives of 49 people including around 40 Indians. 

According to Kuwait Times, Interior Minister Sheikh Fahad Al-Yousuf Al-Sabah ordered police to apprehend the owner of the Mangaf building where the fire incident occurred on Wednesday. The minister has also issued directions for the arrest of the building's janitor and the company's owner responsible for the workers who live in said building. 

Union Minister Kirti Vardhan Singh arrived in Kuwait to take stock of the situation and oversee assistance for those who sustained injuries following the fire tragedy. 

On the directions of Hon'ble Prime Minister @narendramodi, MoS @KVSinghMPGonda arrives in Kuwait to oversee assistance to those injured in fire tragedy & coordinate with local authorities for early repatriation of mortal remains of those who have died in this unfortunate incident pic.twitter.com/GM8gWUl2cG

— India in Kuwait (@indembkwt) June 13, 2024

According to media reports, the building had around 160 people living in it, who are workers of the same company. "What happened today is a result of the greed of company and building owners," the minister said as he visited the incident site.

#BREAKING | कुवैत अग्निकांड पर बड़ा एक्शन

- बिल्डिंग मालिक की गिरफ्तारी के आदेश@romanaisarkhan के साथ 'आगे का एजेंडा'@AshishSinghNews | https://t.co/p8nVQWYei7#Kuwait #KuwaitFire #FireAccident pic.twitter.com/Zu6vQ4D28E

— ABP News (@ABPNews) June 13, 2024

Sheikh Fahad, who is also Kuwait's deputy Prime Minister, further stated that he issued orders to Kuwait Municipality and the Public Authority for Manpower to take action immediately and address similar violations where large numbers of workers are crammed into one residential building and ensure all safety requirements are in place to prevent similar incidents in the future.

Here Are Top Updates: 

1) The Indians, who lost their lives in the fire incident were mostly hailing from Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and some northern states.

2) Most of the deaths were due to smoke inhalation, as the residents were asleep when the fire broke out early Wednesday, the Hindustan Times reported, citing officials. 

3) The fire broke out in a kitchen on one of the lower floors of the building in the Mangaf area of Kuwait's southern Ahmadi Governorate. According to the Arab Times, most of the deceased were between 20 and 50 years old.

4) Sheikh Fahad Al-Yousuf Al-Sabah said the fire mishap was a “result of the greed of the company and building owners.”

5) The building is rented by the NBTC group, reportedly owned by Malayali businessman KG Abraham. Low-paid, blue-collar workers in the Gulf often live in overcrowded accommodations, as per the Hindustan Times report.

6) Before leaving for Kuwait from Delhi Airport, MoS MEA Kirti Vardhan Singh said, "We had a meeting last evening with the PM... The situation will be cleared the moment we reach there... The situation is that the victims are mostly burn victims and some of the bodies have been charred beyond recognition. A DNA test is underway to identify the victims. An Air Force plane is on the ready. As soon as the bodies are identified, the kin will be informed and our airforce plane will bring the bodies back... The latest figures that we had last night, the casualty figures are around 48-49 out of this 42 or 43 are believed to be Indians," as quoted by ANI.

7) Indian Air Force’s C-130J Super Hercules transport aircraft is on stand-by at the Hindan airbase near Delhi to bring back the bodies of the Indians who lost their lives in the fire incident in Kuwait on Wednesday.

8) Meanwhile, the Kuwait Foreign Minsiter has assured MoS Singh of "early repatriation" of mortal remains of the Indians who died in the fire incident.