The Western Cape Forensic Pathology Service has confirmed that the identification process of the bodies retrieved from the building collapse in George is already underway.
As of 19:15 pm on Monday, the death toll stood at 30, and rescue efforts continue at the collapse site on Victoria Street. The George Local Municipality reports that 22 people remain unaccounted for, while 13 are still in the hospital.
There were 81 people on site at the time of the collapse a week ago. Floyd Herwels, the Assistant Director of the Forensic Pathology Service in George, spoke to the media on Monday, emphasising the concerted effort to expedite the identification process. The goal is to offer closure to the grieving families affected by this tragedy.
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According to Herwels, once there is a possibility that a family member is linked to a specific body, they will be put in immediate contact with the police. The detective’s branch will then assist in bringing the family to the Forensic Pathology Service, where a formal identification process will begin.
Herwels explained that if the bodies are visually identifiable, they will prioritize this route as it helps to expedite the identification process. However, if visual identification is not possible, they will resort to scientific methods such as fingerprints or DNA.
It is worth noting that some of the bodies that have been recovered are in a state of decomposition, making visual identification more challenging.
Herwels acknowledged this difficulty and stated that they would not normally show pictures of bodies in a state of decomposition to the families. However, due to the circumstances, they have to sensitize the family members to the fact that the pictures might be graphic.
By showing these pictures, they hope to assist in linking a family to a body. Even if the body is only slightly visually identifiable, they will still need to use DNA testing to formally identify the deceased.
The identification process for the bodies retrieved from the building collapse in George is a complex and sensitive task.
The Western Cape Forensic Pathology Service, along with the police and the detective’s branch, are working diligently to ensure that each body is identified and returned to their grieving families.
