The Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) team is beginning to\nencounter difficulties in the process of identifying victims of the KM\nVirgo Transport 8, which capsized and sank in the Masalembo waters, Java\nSea, South Kalimantan.<\/p>\n
South Kalimantan Regional Police Medical Services Head, Kombes dr\nMuch Sofwan, stated that the obstacles faced in the identification\nprocess relate to the condition of the victims\u2019 bodies upon discovery.\n\u201cIn principle, because the bodies from the Virgo ship were found after\nthe fifth day, there are certainly many complications, especially the\nprocess of decomposition,\u201d Soflam said during a press conference on\nMonday (28\/9).<\/p>\n
Sofwan explained that once bodies have undergone decomposition, there\nare significant hurdles in the identification process. \u201cFirst, there is\nthe change in facial features, and fingerprints also become difficult to\nrecognise. Furthermore, there may be missing limbs, which certainly\naffects the level of difficulty. Therefore, it is important to note that\nas time progresses, the identification process becomes somewhat slower,\u201d\nhe said.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the Head of DVI at the Indonesian National Police Medical\nand Health Centre, Kombes dr Wahyu Hidayati, confirmed that the\nidentification process has slowed down compared to the initial stages of\nthe incident. \u201cIt is not like the first day when fingerprints could be\nquickly matched. However, after three, four, or five days, fingerprints\nbecome difficult to obtain. We are now relying on dental features,\nphysical characteristics, and clothing or jewellery found on the\nbodies,\u201d she noted.<\/p>\n
Wahyu added that many victims were found without identification\ncards. In some cases, clothing had even been stripped away, making\nimmediate identification impossible. \u201cThese are the factors that make it\ndifficult for us to match identities,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Consequently, Wahyu stated that the team is relying on DNA testing to\nidentify the victims of KM Virgo. However, she noted that DNA testing is\ntime-consuming, which extends the identification period. \u201cUltimately, we\nare relying on DNA. But DNA testing takes time. The samples arrive\nperiodically\u2014five, seven, or eleven bodies at a time\u2014and the shipment of\nDNA samples to Jakarta is also done periodically. DNA examination\nrequires at least five days. Therefore, we ask for patience as we carry\nout all processes to the best of our ability,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
She added that the team continues to work through weekends. \u201cWe are\nworking even on Saturdays and Sundays. That is why this process may\nextend until the 16th, as we continue identification work through the\nweekend. We are striving to ensure that all bodies received today are\nexamined today before we proceed with the comparisons,\u201d she\ncontinued.<\/p>\n
Previously, on Monday, the DVI team identified another 16 victims of\nthe KM Virgo sinking. This brings the total number of identified victims\nto 41. \u201cThe total number identified as of Monday, 28 September, is 41\npeople. There are 29 unidentified individuals out of the total 70 bodies\nreceived at Bhayangkara Banjarmasin Hospital to date,\u201d Sofwan told\nreporters.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Basarnas reported that as of Monday, 179 victims have been\nlocated, consisting of 108 survivors and 71 fatalities. Meanwhile, 64\npeople remain missing out of a total manifest of 243 individuals.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/dvi-team-faces-difficulties-in-identifying-km-virgo-victims-1790657953", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }