Dutch detectives have gone to families of the victims of the downed Malaysia Airlines flight to collect DNA and to create a profile of each of the victims, gathering information on what kind of clothes they were wearing and whether they have tattoos or other identifying features. Each family who lost a relative in the crash in Ukraine has been assigned two police officers to keep them updated and to assist with any questions as investigators take on the difficult task of identifying victims. The officers have also made copies of pre-crash photos of victims so they can identify features such as jawlines. Loved ones have been asked to preserve certain things, like bedrooms, so detectives can take fingerprints later if needed.
Two-thirds of the 298 victims on the plane were Dutch. Families have been told the bodies, which are en route by train from Ukraine, could come to Eindhoven, Netherlands, as early as late Tuesday night. They will be transferred to a military facility, where authorities will begin the identification process. As soon as a victim is identified, investigators will notify the family. This could take days or months, depending on the condition of the body.
IN-DEPTH
SOCIAL
— Katy Tur
