"We welcome INTERPOL's and its member-countries' police services and disaster victim identification (DVI) experts' swift offer of assistance and arrival here to assess our needs," PNP Chief, Director General Avelino I Razon said.

PNP Chief, Director General Avelino I Razon Jr., told INTERPOL Secretary General Ronald K Noble that the assistance of the foreign experts will hasten the process of retrieving and identifying the bodies of the victims of the sea tragedy.

"I would like INTERPOL to use state-of-the-art DNA analysis so that the families who are suffering can be re-united with their loved ones as soon as possible, and so that the identification process can occur in the most dignified and effective manner possible," Razon told Noble upon arrival of the INTERPOL delegation at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport last night.

The INTERPOL delegation is composed of forensic examiners and technical experts on disaster victim identification (DVI) who will assist PNP and Coast Guard authorities in the retrieval operations at the shipwreck site off the coast of Sibuyan Island in Romblon.

PNP divers and Crime Laboratory examiners are involved in search and recovery operations at the site. Diving operations were temporarily suspended by the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) due to unsafe diving conditions because of the presence of toxic chemicals in the ship's cargo hold.

Yesterday, Razon awarded the Medalya ng Kasanayan (PNP Efficiency Medal) to 18 PNP divers who were involved in the search and recovery operations. They are now confined at the AFP Medical Center to undergo tests for possible chemical contamination and exposure to hazardous chemicals aboard the sunken vessel.

The police rescue divers were from the Special Reaction Unit of the PNP Maritime Group. Diving operations are expected to resume after the chemicals have been taken safely removed from the wreckage, and the divers are cleared by doctors.

See also

Thailand answers INTERPOL appeal for extra facilities for Philippine ferry disaster efforts ferry (02/07/2008)        INTERPOL deploys assessment team to assist Philippine authorities after ferry disaster (01/07/2008)        INTERPOL to use advanced DNA analysis to identify up to 800 victims of Philippines ferry accident, appeals for extra facilities (01/07/2008)