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Expert Says Identification of Tsunami Victims Lacks Coordination


An American company helping to repatriate the bodies of foreign tsunami victims in Thailand says efforts are being hampered by a lack of coordination.

Kenyon International Emergency Services of Houston, Texas is calling on the governments involved to set up a single coordinated DNA lab to speed up the identification process.

Kenyon president Robert Jensen said Sunday that more than 20 countries are taking part in the identification process, with each using its own DNA methods to process bodies.

He added that DNA laboratories currently being used in Phuket are unable to deal with the overwhelming number of samples being taken.

Hundreds of bodies have been sent back to their home countries since the December 26 disaster, but thousands more remain unidentified.

Some information for this report provided by AP and Reuters.

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