MH17: 45 DNA samples taken from victims' next-of-kin in Malaysia

the star

BY LOH FOON FONG

PETALING JAYA: As many as 45 DNA samples have been taken from the next-of-kin of those who died following the shoot-down of Malaysian Airlines (MAS) flight MH17 on July 17 in Ukraine.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam said two more samples were still in the process of being taken from two families.

"MAS has informed that 43 of the victims have family ties in Malaysia," he said in a statement Thursday.

Dr Subramaniam said there were victims who lived overseas but had family ties in Malaysia, bringing the number of families involved in ante mortem Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) and DNA sample data collection to 47.

The DNA samples taken were from next-of-kin with biological ties, such as parents, children and siblings.

Meanwhile, he added that six health teams have been activated to be on standby to receive and manage the bodies sent from Amsterdam.

He also said that the medical teams from Hospital Serdang and Hospital Putrajaya had been on standby to provide the medical needs of the deceased families if needed.