Remains of crash victims lgid to rest

By JAYNE SAFIHAO
FIVE months after the fatal Airlines PNG crash at Marakum in the Raicoast area of Madang province, the remains of those declared as missing persons have finally been buried.
The Bulas Geoffrey from West New Britain and his wife Clotilde from Central were officially declared as missing persons and had their remains plus those of others who had not been identified, given a decent burial by Airlines PNG.
Twenty eight passengers died when the Dash 8 aircraft crashed.
The two pilots, a cabin crew member and a passenger survived.
The remains of those passengers who could not be identified through DNA testing were placed in a coffin with the Bulas and buried under a monument.
Airline general manager John Fitzgerald said the monument erected at the Madang public cemetery was a way of treating those who had died with dignity and respect.
He said because of the long identification process, it was hard to get closure quickly.
Peter Bula, the second eldest in the family, said it was a long wait but they were glad that the eldest four children in the family could make it to the funeral.
One of his sisters, Cecelia, graduated this year from the Divine Word University in PNG Studies.
The parents were on their way to the final year students’ thanksgiving mass that the aircraft crashed in Marakum, 20km south of Madang.
Those who died in the crash were: Sidy Abore, Jeffery Ako, Lucas Bako, Jenny Bal, Samuel Bid, Ade Bili, Nathaniel and Natasha Bonga, Christine and Chloe Matlam, Saron Doma, Ian Gagi, Michael Humprey, Benard James, Benedict Kanau, Paul Konia, Thomas Kuekue, Divu Langa, David Olobai, Barnabas Philip, Deburah Rabura, Louise Toto Miria Renagi, Robert Sangela, Mark Save, Simon Tiriman and Cecelia Wata.
The 26 plus the two missing persons (Bulas) brings the total to 28, closing investigations by the forensic and medical team from Australia and PNG.
Fitzgerald said it was anyone’s guess when the final report would be available.