A delegation of eight ZAKA International Rescue Unit volunteers left Israel this morning for the French Alps, to assist in the search and recovery mission at the site of the Germanwings plane crash. Forensic teams at the crash site have isolated 78 distinct DNA strands from body parts so far, according to reports.
The ZAKA delegation offered Lufthansa, the parent company of Germanwings, its help upon news of the March 24 crash.
The German airline gave the Israeli search and recovery experts a green light after Israeli victim Eyal Baum’s family requested that a ZAKA delegation from Israel assist in the recovery operation to bring his remains home for a full Jewish burial.
Baum, 39, was one of 150 people killed on the doomed flight from Barcelona to Dusseldorf.
In addition to searching for Baum’s remains, ZAKA volunteers will offer their extensive experience and expertise in international search and recovery missions to the local search teams.
French and German officials are investigating why co-pilot Andreas Lubitz, 28, allegedly crashed the Airbus 320 into the French Alps deliberately.