New Delhi, India is sending a military transport plane to Kuwait to bring back the bodies of more than 40 Indians who died in a massive fire that broke out at a building housing foreign workers in southern Kuwait on Thursday night.
Kuwaiti officials said they have identified the bodies of 45 Indians and three Filipino nationals who died in the fire. At least 49 migrant workers were killed and 50 others were injured in the fire.
Officials in Delhi said an Indian Air Force C-130J transport plane would bring back the bodies on Friday and it would first land in Kochi as most of the dead were from Indian Kerala.
He said the plane is expected to reach Delhi as some of the Indians killed are from some North Indian states.Kuwaiti authorities have already conducted DNA testing on the bodies as part of the identification process.
The Kuwaiti Fire Force said the fatal fire was caused by an "electrical circuit".
Kuwaiti news agency KUNA said in a press statement that the conclusions were drawn after investigating the incident site.
Sheikh Fahd al-Yousef al-Sabah, who serves as First Deputy Prime Minister, Interior Minister and Defense Minister, said authorities have identified 48 bodies, of which 45 are of Indians and three of Filipino nationality, the English daily Arab. The Times reported.
Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh, who arrived in Kuwait this morning, met separately with the Gulf country's Foreign Minister Abdullah Ali Al-Yahya, Al-Sabah and Health Minister Ahmed Abdelwahab Ahmed Al-Awadi.
The Indian Embassy in Kuwait said Foreign Minister Al-Yahya assured full support, including medical care, early repatriation of the mortal remains and investigation into the incident."FM Yahya expressed his condolences on the tragic incident. He assured full support including medical care, prompt repatriation of the mortal remains and investigation into the incident," the mission said on X.
"The MoS expressed its appreciation for the cooperation provided by all relevant Kuwaiti authorities," it said.
Singh also visited Mubarak Al Kabir Hospital and Jaber Hospital where many injured Indians are admitted.
According to the Indian Embassy, in the meeting with Singh, the Kuwaiti Health Minister informed him about the steps taken to ensure the speedy recovery of Indians under his "personal supervision"."In an unfortunate and tragic fire incident today at a labor housing facility in Mangaf area of Kuwait, around 40 Indians have lost their lives and over 50 have been injured," the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement late on Wednesday night.
Last night, Prime Minister Modi reviewed the situation in a meeting with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, NSA Ajit Doval, Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra and Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister PK Mishra, among others.
After the meeting, the Prime Minister announced ex-gratia relief of Rs 2 lakh from the Prime Minister's Relief Fund to the families of deceased Indian citizens and directed that the government should provide all possible assistance.
The foreign minister spoke on phone to his Kuwaiti counterpart Abdullah Ali al-Yahya and urged him to quickly repatriate the bodies of those killed.
Jaishankar said on X, "Spoke to Kuwaiti FM Abdullah Ali Al-Yahya on fire tragedy in Kuwait.Was informed about the efforts made by Kuwaiti authorities in that regard. It was assured that the incident will be thoroughly investigated and responsibility will be fixed." Wednesday night.
"He urged for the immediate repatriation of the bodies of those who lost their lives. He stressed that the injured are receiving required medical care," he said.
Kuwaiti media reported that the fire in the Al-Mangaf building was reported to Al-Ahmadi Governorate authorities at 4.30 am on Wednesday and that most of the deaths were caused by smoke, with the fire starting in the kitchen.Kuwaiti media said construction company NBTC Group rented the building to house more than 195 workers, most of whom were Indians from Kerala, Tamil Nadu and northern states.
Interior Minister Al-Sabah ordered an investigation into the fire incident and issued instructions to arrest the owner and janitor of the Al-Mangaf building.
Kuwaiti officials said they have identified the bodies of 45 Indians and three Filipino nationals who died in the fire. At least 49 migrant workers were killed and 50 others were injured in the fire.
Officials in Delhi said an Indian Air Force C-130J transport plane would bring back the bodies on Friday and it would first land in Kochi as most of the dead were from Indian Kerala.
He said the plane is expected to reach Delhi as some of the Indians killed are from some North Indian states.Kuwaiti authorities have already conducted DNA testing on the bodies as part of the identification process.
The Kuwaiti Fire Force said the fatal fire was caused by an "electrical circuit".
Kuwaiti news agency KUNA said in a press statement that the conclusions were drawn after investigating the incident site.
Sheikh Fahd al-Yousef al-Sabah, who serves as First Deputy Prime Minister, Interior Minister and Defense Minister, said authorities have identified 48 bodies, of which 45 are of Indians and three of Filipino nationality, the English daily Arab. The Times reported.
Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh, who arrived in Kuwait this morning, met separately with the Gulf country's Foreign Minister Abdullah Ali Al-Yahya, Al-Sabah and Health Minister Ahmed Abdelwahab Ahmed Al-Awadi.
The Indian Embassy in Kuwait said Foreign Minister Al-Yahya assured full support, including medical care, early repatriation of the mortal remains and investigation into the incident."FM Yahya expressed his condolences on the tragic incident. He assured full support including medical care, prompt repatriation of the mortal remains and investigation into the incident," the mission said on X.
"The MoS expressed its appreciation for the cooperation provided by all relevant Kuwaiti authorities," it said.
Singh also visited Mubarak Al Kabir Hospital and Jaber Hospital where many injured Indians are admitted.
According to the Indian Embassy, in the meeting with Singh, the Kuwaiti Health Minister informed him about the steps taken to ensure the speedy recovery of Indians under his "personal supervision"."In an unfortunate and tragic fire incident today at a labor housing facility in Mangaf area of Kuwait, around 40 Indians have lost their lives and over 50 have been injured," the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement late on Wednesday night.
Last night, Prime Minister Modi reviewed the situation in a meeting with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, NSA Ajit Doval, Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra and Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister PK Mishra, among others.
After the meeting, the Prime Minister announced ex-gratia relief of Rs 2 lakh from the Prime Minister's Relief Fund to the families of deceased Indian citizens and directed that the government should provide all possible assistance.
The foreign minister spoke on phone to his Kuwaiti counterpart Abdullah Ali al-Yahya and urged him to quickly repatriate the bodies of those killed.
Jaishankar said on X, "Spoke to Kuwaiti FM Abdullah Ali Al-Yahya on fire tragedy in Kuwait.Was informed about the efforts made by Kuwaiti authorities in that regard. It was assured that the incident will be thoroughly investigated and responsibility will be fixed." Wednesday night.
"He urged for the immediate repatriation of the bodies of those who lost their lives. He stressed that the injured are receiving required medical care," he said.
Kuwaiti media reported that the fire in the Al-Mangaf building was reported to Al-Ahmadi Governorate authorities at 4.30 am on Wednesday and that most of the deaths were caused by smoke, with the fire starting in the kitchen.Kuwaiti media said construction company NBTC Group rented the building to house more than 195 workers, most of whom were Indians from Kerala, Tamil Nadu and northern states.
Interior Minister Al-Sabah ordered an investigation into the fire incident and issued instructions to arrest the owner and janitor of the Al-Mangaf building.
