DNA test to be used to identify bridge collapse victims

The Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) team says it may have to resort to running DNA tests for identification purposes should any more victims be recovered in connection with the Kukar bridge collapse.

“DNA tests would be needed due to the fact that the victims' bodies would be in such a damaged state that it would be difficult to identify them,” East

Kalimantan DVI chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Budi Heryadi said Saturday, as quoted by tribunnews.com.

He said that DNA tests would be done by taking a sample of the victim’s body and testing it with a DNA sample from their presumed relatives in the hope of finding a match.

“Results of DNA tests can be obtained three days after a test,” he added.

According to Budi, as of Saturday, the identification of victims was still being conducted conventionally, despite damage to the bodies.

Identification officials have so far managed to match information from families to the physical characteristics on the bodies.

The Kutai Kartanegara Bridge collapsed last week, killing 21 people. Only one out of the 21 victims has yet to be identified.