Kuwait fire tragedy: IAF plane carrying mortal remains of Indians lands at Cochin airport (WATCH)

The mortal remains of Indians killed in the Kuwait fire were flown to Kerala on a special Indian Air Force plane on Friday. The plane landed in Kochi today. The development was confirmed by Union Minister Kirti Vardhan Singh on X.

An Indian Air Force aircraft, carrying the bodies of 45 migrant workers who were killed in the Mangaf fire tragedy, landed in Kochi on Friday. The C-130J transport aircraft, with Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh on board, arrived at the Cochin International Airport around 10:30 am.

At the airport, where the special IAF plane carrying the dead bodies of Indian victims landed, police officers and ambulances were stationed. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, other top ministers, and opposition leaders received the mortal remains of the deceased who hail from Kerala.

As many as 31 bodies of workers from Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu will be offloaded from the plane. The state government representatives will receive the bodies of the Indian migrant labourers who perished in the horrific fire. Delhi will be the aircraft's final destination.

Kuwait has vowed to promptly investigate the incident and assured full support in repatriating the mortal remains of the victims.  Kuwait Fire Force said the deadly fire was caused by an electrical short circuit.

Meanwhile, Kuwaiti authorities were conducting DNA tests on the bodies of those killed in the devastating fire incident in southern Kuwait's Mangaf area.