Kenyon Repatriation Centre for Tsunami Victims

Kenyon Builds International Repatriation Centre for Tsunami Victims in Phuket, Thailand

Kenyon International Emergency Services is nearing completion of an International Repatriation Center in Phuket, Thailand, where foreign victims of the Tsunami disaster will be prepared for return to their families once they have been positively identified.

The Kenyon International Repatriation Center, located at Thachatchai near the Phuket International Airport, will feature a Wall of Remembrance, where families can leave photographs, flowers or other mementoes of loved ones lost in the disaster. There will also be an area where a religious blessing or formal ceremony may be held in accordance with the wishes of their next of kin, to mark the start of their journey home with due solemnity and respect.

The site currently features 26 refrigerated container units with capacity to hold the remains of up to 468 deceased. More refrigerated units will be added later.

Kenyon specialists will ensure that the remains of the deceased are prepared for repatriation to their countries of origin, according to internationally-recognised protocols for the transfer of human remains across international borders, including appropriate documentation.

Kenyon has been closely involved in supporting many elements of the international response to the Tsunami disaster in Phuket, with the first Kenyon teams arriving on 28 December. More than 80 Kenyon staff, including forensic specialists, have deployed to Thailand along with two portable mortuary kits and several tons of equipment and supplies.

Kenyon International Emergency Services, based in Houston, Texas, is the world’s leading disaster management company and has responded to more than 300 mass-fatality events in its history. Kenyon works with more than 200 retained clients, including Governments, international organizations and private companies.

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