Kuwait fire
at Kochi International Airport at around 10:30 am, where 31 bodies were received by Central and state ministers, including Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. “Pravasis (expatriates) are the lifeline of Kerala, and the deaths of so many Indian expatriates in the fire is a huge disaster for the country,” Vijayan told reporters.
The remaining 14 bodies were flown to Delhi, arriving at Palam Technical Area in the evening. Newly elected MPs Bansuri Swaraj, Yogender Chandolia, and
Kamaljeet Sehrawat stood in solemn tribute as the caskets were lowered from the aircraft.
Union Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh, who accompanied the bodies from Kuwait to Kochi and then to Delhi, assured that the Indian Embassy in Kuwait is closely monitoring the condition of the injured. “We visited every single injured person in the five hospitals and inquired about their health,” Singh said, noting that most of the injured will be discharged within a few days.
At Kochi airport, Chief Minister Vijayan and Union Minister Suresh Gopi paid their respects to the deceased, placing wreaths and roses on the coffins. “Measures need to be taken to prevent a recurrence of such an incident,” Vijayan said, expressing hope that the Kuwaiti government would provide sufficient compensation to the victims’ families.
In Delhi, the somber mood continued as MPs and officials paid tribute to the deceased. “May God give peace to all the departed souls and give strength to their families to bear this grief,” MP Yogender Chandolia wrote on social media.
Kuwait’s public prosecutor has launched an investigation into the fire, with several arrests made for manslaughter and negligence in safety measures. Kuwaiti officials have initiated extensive inspections of illegal properties, aiming to prevent such tragedies in the future. Meanwhile, Kuwait’s Emir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad AlJaber al-Sabah has ordered financial assistance for the families of the deceased.
Indians make up a significant portion of Kuwait’s population and workforce, with 1 million Indians constituting 21 per cent of the total population and 30 per cent of the workforce.