Dana crash: DNA results ready next week, 152 bodies identified

Foremost pathologist, Prof. John Obafunwa on Wednesday told a Lagos Coroner, Magistrate Oyetade Komolafe that his department has so far identified 152 bodies of the victims of the June 3, ill fated Dana airline crash in Lagos.
Prof. Obafunwa who said that the result of the DNA tests on the bodies of some of the crash victims will be ready next week disclosed that the bodies so far identified were either charred, partial or complete.
The Pathologist who is the Chief Medical Examiner of Lagos State and a consultant forensic pathologist, and Vice- Chancellor, Lagos State University (LASU), recounted the gory sight of some of the bodies when the body bags were brought to the Lagos State University Hospital (LASUTH).
He was Led in evidence by Mr. Akingbolahan Adeniran, a counsel from the state Ministry of Justice.
Obafunwa said, “When the body bags of the victims were opened at the morgue, some of them contain bone fragments while some had body parts.
“Sixty per cent of the crash victims had multiple injuries while about 20 per cent had multiple injuries and smoke inhalation.

According to him, ‘’fifty bodies were fairly complete; about 100 victims were burnt while there were also charred bodies. There are bodies with recognisable heads and some their limbs are chopped off. ‘’
Obafunwa remarked that at the moment, the pathology department was doing a final editing of post-mortem reports on the bodies of the victims.
‘’I am expecting that the DNA results will be finalised next week,” he stressed.
The renowned pathologist also said that the chemical analysis of the samples and tissues taken from the bodies of the victims would be ready in two weeks’ time.
’’ I will say we have completed our job. On the average 80 per cent of the job is ready’’, he further stressed.
Prof.Obafunwa in the course of the inquest answered questioned from some lawyers namely, Anthony Idigbe (SAN), Obi Okwusogu (SAN) and Femi Falana (SAN)among other interested parties.