RIYADH: One of the five bodies of the Sri Lankan expatriates who died in a road accident last month was sent home on Tuesday after the completion of DNA tests at Riyadh’s King Saud Hospital.
Twenty passengers died in the accident caused due to a collision between a Saptco bus and a truck that was trying to overtake the passenger coach in a heavy dust storm approximately 40 km away from the capital.
“We have sent home the body of Mendis Appuhamy today since his next-of-kin has requested that we do so,” Sabarullah Khan, charge d’affaires of the Sri Lankan Embassy, told Arab News on Tuesday.
A brother of the deceased provided blood sample for the DNA test and accompanied the body home.
Appuhamy’s employer, Agricultural Development Company, bore the costs of repatriating the body. He added that the mission was able to identify four of the five Sri Lankans that died in the accident through DNA tests conducted in the Kingdom.
The diplomat pointed out that the other victims would be buried here in the capital in deference to the wishes of their respective relatives.
He said that a fifth body couldn’t be positively identified since the mission has not found any blood relative of the deceased.
The Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment said it would give SR12,000 to the victim’s next-of-kin since he registered himself with the bureau.
Appuhamy came to Riyadh for a farewell function and was returning to his workplace in Hfuf when the accident took place.
He had returned to the Kingdom three weeks prior to the tragedy following his annual vacation.
He is from Kurunegale, 150 km from Colombo.
