Aircraft carrying mortal remains of 20 Indians dead reaches Kerala from Kuwait amid Middle East disruptions

An aircraft carrying the mortal remains of 20 Indian nationals arrived at Kochi International Airport in Kerala on Tuesday after a prolonged delay. The delay was caused by major disruptions in flight operations due to ongoing tensions and conflict in the Middle East.

The special Kuwait Airways flight KU5632 reached Kochi via Colombo. Notably, this was a dedicated flight operated solely to transport the bodies, with no passengers on board.

According to airport authorities, all 20 bodies were processed immediately after landing and arrangements were made to send them to their respective hometowns. Most of the deceased belonged to Kerala’s Kozhikode, Alappuzha, and Kottayam districts.

Additionally, some of the bodies were transported by road to Tamil Nadu, for which ambulances and necessary arrangements had already been put in place.

Importantly, officials clarified that these deaths were not directly linked to the ongoing war. However, the conflict in the Middle East had significantly disrupted flight schedules and logistics, leading to delays in bringing the bodies back to India.

After completing all pending formalities, the mortal remains have now been handed over to the families. The incident highlights how international conflicts impact not only the living but also deeply affect humanitarian processes such as the timely return and final rites of the deceased.