Indian Air Force Repatriates Mortal Remains of 45 Indians from Kuwait Fire Incident

Update Now- An Indian Air Force (IAF) flight carrying the mortal remains of 45 Indian nationals who perished in the recent Kuwait fire incident landed in Kochi on Friday. Accompanying the remains was Minister of State Kirti Vardhan Singh, who had flown to Kuwait on Thursday to coordinate with local authorities for a swift repatriation process.

The devastating blaze occurred on Wednesday morning in southern Kuwait’s Mangaf, claiming the lives of at least 49 migrant workers and injuring 50 others. Following the incident, Prime Minister Narendra Modi directed Singh to travel to Kuwait urgently to oversee the assistance efforts for the injured Indians.

The IAF dispatched a C-130J transport aircraft to Kuwait on Thursday night to facilitate the return of the bodies. Among the deceased, 23 were from Kerala, seven from Tamil Nadu, three each from Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, two from Odisha, and one each from Bihar, Punjab, Karnataka, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Jharkhand, and Haryana, as reported by the Indian embassy.

The Kuwaiti authorities handed over the mortal remains after conducting DNA tests for identification, a necessity due to the severe charring of some bodies. The remains will be handed over to representatives of the respective state governments in Kochi and Delhi.

The fire, which was reportedly caused by an electrical circuit, also claimed the lives of three Filipino nationals. The Indian embassy in Kuwait has established a dedicated helpline at +965-65505246, available via WhatsApp and regular calls, to assist family members seeking information and support. The helpline will be regularly updated with the latest information.

Minister of State Kirti Vardhan Singh expressed deep condolences and assured that the government is taking all necessary measures to support the families of the victims and those injured in the tragic incident.