Plane crash:No hope to find Alalo’s body

Kampala- Relatives have said there is no hope of getting the body of police commissioner Christine Alalo, who perished in an Ethiopian Airline plane crash a fortnight ago.

The deceased’s elder brother, Mr James Okello, who returned from Ethiopia where he had travelled with a police team to trace for her remains, said they had been informed that rescuers and experts collected about 15,000 scattered body parts of the 157 passengers, which would take about six months to sort.

“We reached the site and we were told that it was a nosedive crash and it dug about 20 to 30 metres deep. We got information that more than 15,000 body pieces were collected from the scene and this would take time to sort them,” Mr Okello said yesterday while speaking to journalists.

Mr Okello accompanied by deceased’s son, Emmanuel Ahimbisibwe, said they were not allowed to have a look at the pieces.
He applauded Uganda Police Force, government, relatives, friends and all Ugandans who have rendered support to the family as they try to cope with the tragedy.

Memorial service
Police spokesperson Fred Enanga said the police force alongside Alalo’s immediate family have organised a memorial service that will be held today at All Saints Church in Nakasero in Kampala.

Mr Enanga said prayers are part of the bereavement journey in memory of Alalo who was a comrade, friend and relative to many.
“After church, mourners are expected to gather at her home in Seeta, to pay further tribute and also sign in the condolence book. The committee handling the burial arrangements is closely coordinating with officials in Addis Ababa and will inform all family members and friends on the outcome of the identification once complete,” Mr Enanga said.

The crash
Eight cabin crew staff and 149 passengers from 35 countries perished when Flight ET 302 ploughed into a field near Tulu Fara Village outside the town of Bishoftu, about 60 kilometres (40 miles) southeast of Addis Ababa.
Among the dead were tourists, business travellers, and UN staff, including some who worked for the World Food Programme, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR), and the international Organization for Migration. The IOM said in a statement early indications were that 19 staff members of UN-affiliated organisations perished in the crash.

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