India bringing home remains of 45 killed in deadly Kuwait fire

By Ahmad Adil

NEW DELHI (AA) - New Delhi on Friday said it was bringing back the remains of 45 Indian workers who died in a deadly fire in Kuwait this week.

"A special IAF (Indian Air Force) aircraft carrying mortal remains of 45 Indian victims in the fire incident in Kuwait has taken off for Kochi (southern Indian city)," the Indian Embassy in Kuwait said on X.

At least 49 people were killed and dozens injured Wednesday after the blaze erupted from two residential buildings in the southern Kuwaiti city of Mangaf. Maj. Gen. Eid Rashid Al-Owaidan, director of forensic evidence at Kuwait's Interior Ministry said most of the fatalities were caused by smoke inhalation.

The embassy said 45 Indian workers had died in the fire, while 33 were admitted to various hospitals in the Gulf nation.

After the fire incident, the Indian government sent Kirti Vardhan Singh, minister of state at the Indian Foreign Ministry, to Kuwait to work towards the "early repatriation of mortal remains as well as for medical assistance to those injured."

The embassy also said that out of 45 victims, most were from the southern Indian state of Kerala.

Over 8 million Indian workers are estimated to be employed in the Gulf Arab nations, according to official data presented in the Indian parliament in 2022.