Grief-stricken families gather at Kochi airport as bodies of loved ones return

Kochi: As the first casket bearing the body of Arun Babu was solemnly brought out of the cargo terminal of the airport here on Friday, mourning families huddled together to receive the remains of their loved ones who perished in the devastating fire tragedy in Kuwait two days ago.

The scene at the cargo terminal of Cochin International Airport was heart-wrenching as those gathered there sought solace in each other’s company during this tragic homecoming.

An Indian Air Force (IAF) flight carrying the mortal remains of the 45 Indians who died in the fire landed at the international airport around 10.30 am, but it wasn’t until an hour later that the caskets were brought out after the necessary security clearances.

This included the customs, immigration, and airport health office processes related to the 45 bodies at the airport.

From as early as 6.30 am, the grieving families had been waiting patiently. As the airport staff began bringing the caskets from the import cargo terminal at 11.30 am and placing them on a designated podium, the atmosphere turned even more sombre.

Stif led sobs gave way to loud cries of grief as family members saw the names of their loved ones on the caskets, filling the terminal with a chorus of heartbreak. The bodies of 23 Keralites, seven Tamils, and one person from Karnataka were brought back from Kuwait on the IAF C-130J aircraft. (PTI)