Bodies of 53 out of 71 victims of air crash above Germany identified

The bodies of 53, out of the 71, victims of the air crash in the sky above Germany have been identified, reported a spokesman for the police department in the town of Ueberlinger over the telephone.

However, the names of the identified have not yet been made public.

The identification work continues. The experts have completed the analysis of the DNA of the killed. Now these results will be compared with the genetic material received with the help of the personal clothes of the victims, which were brought by their relatives, and with the samples of the saliva taken from the relatives.

According to the data of the spokesman for the police department, quite possible that the experts will complete the identification of the victims by Thursday evening. However, he said, much more time may be needed.

Depending on how much time will be necessary to identify all the bodies, a decision will be taken on sending a plane to Germany to bring the bodies of the victims home. So far, its arrival in Friedrichshafen has been scheduled for Friday, July 12.

On Monday, July 8, the first identified bodies were brought to the Bashkir capital of Ufa. That same day twenty-seven people were buried in the local Southern Cemetery, another five - in different districts of the republic where they had lived.

The burial of the remaining victims of the air crash is scheduled approximately for Saturday, July 13.

On the night of July 1-2, in the area of Bodensee in Germany the Russian passenger Tu-154 of the Bashkir Airlines and the cargo Boeing-757 jet from the DHL International Delivery Service collided at the height of 11,000 metres. On board the Tu-154 there were twelve members of the crew and 57 passengers - 52 children, who were going for a vacation, and five grown-ups who accompanied them. On board the Boeing there were two pilots.