Kozhikode Government Medical College hospital identifies eight bodies thru DNA test

Kozhikode: The  Kozhikode Government Medical College hospital authorities have so far identified  eight fishermen’s bodies  through DNA test, out of the 23  bodies recovered from the sea following the cyclone Ockhi disaster.  Six of them belong to Thiruvananthapuram and two to Kozhikode district,  according to the hospital authorities.

“The bodies were  in a decaying state  and hence  DNA  test was needed to identify them,”   said district collector U.V. Jose. The marine enforcement wing in association with the coastal department, coastal security police force and the local fishermen here have been searching for the missing fishermen.  

187 fishermen remain missing   
Even as the search and rescue mission for the victims of Ockhi Cyclone enters the 25th day, the whereabouts of 187 fishermen and 17 fishing boats remained unknown, says Charles George, Ernakulam district convener of the Fisheries Coordination Committee. Out of this, six boats and 64 fishermen belong to Kochi area while 11 boats and the remaining fishermen are from various places in Kanayakumari district in Tamil Nadu.