The mortal remains of the 45 Indian workers who died in a fire incident in Kuwait have arrived at Cochin International Airport, Kerala, today. 23 of the deceased are from Kerala, 7 from Tamil Nadu, 3 each from Andra Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, 2 from Odisha, and one each from Bihar, Punjab, Karnataka, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Jharkhand and Haryana.

Earlier today at around 9:30 am, the Embassy of India in Kuwait had informed that a special Indian Airforce aircraft carrying mortal remains of 45 Indian victims in the fire incident in Kuwait has taken off for Kochi. The IAF aircraft will proceed to Delhi where the other mortal remains will be handed over to concerned State Government representatives.

The Government of India has announced ex-gratia relief of Rs 2 lakh each to the next to kin victims and Kerala Government had announced Rs 5 lakh for the families of the deceased from the State. Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh had told ANI at Cochin International Airport that the Emir of Kuwait had provided compensation to the families of the victims.

The Union Minister, Chief Minister of Kerala Pinarayi Vijayan, Ministers, families and well wishers were present at the airport when the bodies arrived.

MoS Kirti Vardhan Singh had travelled to Kuwait on 13th June to coordinate with the Government of Kuwait to facilitate early repatriation of mortal remains of the deceased as well as ensure the well-being of those injured in the tragic fire-incident in a Labour housing facility in Mangaf area of Kuwait on 12 June 2024.

The Indian Mission in Kuwait had informed in a statement that there were 176 Indian workers in the housing facility of which 45 succumbed and 33 are in various hospitals. The rest are reportedly safe, it stated.

Immediately upon arrival at Kuwait, MoS Singh visited 5 hospitals (Adan, Mubarak Al-Kabeer, Jaber, Farwaniya and Jahra), where injured Indians are being treated and interacted with all of them. According to hospital authorities, all patients are reportedly safe and will be discharged progressively depending upon their medical condition, the Embassy said.

MoS @KVSinghMPGonda visited Jahra hospital and interacted with 6 Indians admitted there. He appreciated the good care provided to the Indian patients for faster recovery. pic.twitter.com/o679twIBzo

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