When two families try to claim the same body: Singapore officers help identify Nepal flood victims

“It was quite challenging because not all bodies came with a usable set of fingerprints due to the damage done by the flood. Some bodies might also not have all fingers intact.”

Assistant Superintendent of Police Corelle Tan, a senior investigation officer with the Criminal Investigation Department, was part of the team involved in lifting fingerprints from the bodies.

“When we arrived, it had already been about a week since the disaster.

“So a lot of the bodies and remains were in an advanced state of decomposition, as some of them were soaked in water and mud.”

Tan said they had to adapt, as some of the methods they learnt during their training could not be used.

It was also her first time being deployed overseas for a mission and encountering decomposed bodies on a large scale.

“There was definitely a lot of sensory overload, and I was operating in an unfamiliar environment.

“That required constant self-regulation and focus.”

Another member of the contingent, forensic pathologist Benjamin Kuek from HSA, was involved in conducting post-mortem examinations of the bodies.

This process involves documenting and examining the bodies for any distinguishing features to help identify the deceased. These include gender, estimated age, tattoos, moles and scars.

“One of the challenges was the scale and condition of the bodies, which had differing degrees of decomposition and trauma. This can make the identification process difficult,” Kuek said.

DNA samples are also collected, and the teeth are examined by a forensic dentist.

He said: “The reconciliation process happens after we have the complete post-mortem data and information from the family. There is also additional information from the DNA analysis team and the fingerprint team.”

The reconciliation process involves matching the deceased’s fingerprints or DNA with those of their next of kin.

Senior Staff Sergeant Hasrin Hasmoon from the Singapore police and three other trainers taught 20 Nepali officers how to operate drones for search and rescue operations, which includes maximising their capabilities to locate flood victims.

The Singapore police also donated six drones to the Nepali police.

Hasrin said the drones are deployed in areas that rescue personnel cannot reach on foot.

He said one of the challenges was operating drones in a different environment from Singapore, as the officers were flying the drones 1,300m above sea level, which meant stronger winds.

In Singapore, drones typically cannot be flown more than 60m above sea level.

He also had to navigate the language barrier when sharing his expertise.

“(The Nepal officers) were very determined to learn, and we managed to communicate eventually,” he said.

At the reception, the minister thanked the officers for their service.

Tong said: “To all our 35 deployed officers, you’ve really represented Singapore with tremendous distinction.

“You left home on short notice and worked tirelessly in very unfamiliar and very challenging conditions, but carried out your duties with professionalism, with resilience and with compassion.”