A specialized Indian Air Force plane transporting the mortal remains of Indian nationals affected by the Kuwait fire incident has landed at Cochin International Airport. Union Minister of State VK Singh, who promptly traveled to Kuwait on Thursday, accompanied the bodies on the flight. At least 45 Indians perished in the massive fire that broke out in a labor accommodation in Mangaf, Kuwait, on June 12. Among the deceased, 23 were from Kerala, seven from Tamil Nadu, three from Andhra Pradesh, and one each from Bihar, Odisha, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Haryana, Punjab, and West Bengal.
Kuwaiti authorities completed DNA testing on the deceased before handing over their remains to Indian officials for repatriation. The Kuwaiti Fire Force attributed the tragic fire to an electrical circuit malfunction, according to a press release following an investigation of the incident site, as reported by the Kuwaiti news agency KUNA. Authorities confirmed the identities of 45 Indian and three Filipino victims of the fire, which engulfed the Al-Mangaf building in the Al-Ahmadi governorate. The blaze, first reported to authorities at 4:30 am on Wednesday, resulted in numerous fatalities primarily due to smoke inhalation, with reports indicating it originated in a kitchen.