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BEIJING, June 12 (Xinhuanet) -- Forensic experts have confirmed the identities of more victims from the capsized Eastern Star cruise ship. As of 9 am on Thursday (June 11th), the identities of 342 victims had been confirmed through DNA tests.
More than 170 forensic staff in Jianli, Jingzhou and Wuhan are working around the clock to confirm the identities of the victims of the ill-fated Eastern Star cruise ship.
As of Thursday morning, forensic teams have found matches on 342 DNA samples. They're now working to confirm the identities of the rest of the victims. But they have run into challenges.
"The confirmation of rest of the victims is challenging because we do not have ideal blood samples. Some of the victims have only one immediate family member or no immediate family members. And some of the victims' remains are highly decayed," Forensic expert Zhou Xujin with Hubei Provincial Public Security Department said.
DNA tests are based on blood samples from immediate family members. If samples can be taken from both subjects parents and children, accuracy rates can reach up to 99.99%. But if there are not enough family samples to draw from, the DNA tests are not reliable enough to confirm a genetic match.
That has forced experts to think of alternative ideas.
"In order to ensure our accuracy in single immediate family member DNA tests, we will use other measures to confirm victims' identities. For example, we will travel to places where the victims used to live to collect their personal belongings for further tests," Forensic expert Zhou Xujin with Hubei Provincial Public Security Department said.
China's ministry of public security has informed local authorities in eight provinces and municipalities such as Shanghai, Tianjin to collect DNA samples from the immediate family members of the victims, in the meantime, DNA samples will also be collected from the suspected victims' remains that are found in the downstream of the Yangtze River. The final result will be fed back to Jianli.
The relatives of many victims are in Jianli, waiting to hear news about their loved one.
"We will transfer all legal documents such as the DNA tests report, and the victim's identity confirmation report to the relatives. And we will also return all the personal belongings collected to their family members," Wu Futang with Jingzhou Public Security Bureau said.
Provincial authorities in Hubei said they are trying to speed up their work while maintaining its accuracy in order to let the victims rest in peace as soon as possible.
(Source: CNTV.cn)
