EgyptAir Victims’ Relatives DNA Collected to Help Body Identification

Local Editor

As investigators seek answers to the EgyptAir plane crash over the Mediterranean, blood samples have been taken from relatives to help a forensics team identify victims.

The search for remains of Egyptair Airbus 320, after it mysteriously disappeared over the Mediterranean, continues. The black boxes of Flight MS804 have not been located, and field teams are continuing the search.

EgyptAir Holding Company chairman Safwat Musallam stated that the plane crash victims arrived to the morgue in Cairo yesterday. Relatives of victims of the crash gathered in Cairo and, to help victim identification, DNA samples were taken.

According to a spokesman for the French Navy, providing specialized equipment and a patrol boat to aid in the search, they are attempting to locate as much debris and remains as possible.

Flight records show that 30 Egyptians, 15 French citizens, two Iraqis, two Canadians, as well as citizens from Algeria, Belgium, Britain, Chad, Portugal, Saudi Arabia and Sudan, were aboard EgyptAir MS804.

A French naval craft is provide hydrophones, specialized microphones to seek the pings emitted by the flight recorders. According to a spokesperson in Paris, it will be "several more days" after the equipment arrives to the site before the flight recorders are located and retrieved.

No extremist group has taken responsibility for the crash and, until the flight recorders are studied, the cause of the tragedy remains unknown.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team