Tiruchy airport serves fliers even beyond life

While Tiruchy international airport has steadily grown in terms of cargo especially in exports, it has gained a notorious reputation for receiving more number of bodies along with less imports. 

According to the officials handling cargo, December 2016 marked the highest number with 33 bodies, while in November 2016, 30 bodies were flown back to the country and in January 2017 the airport received 29 bodies. 

While in April as many as 18 bodies have been received till date. Officials claim that apart from Tiruchy, Kochi and Calicut receive the maximum number of dead bodies. “Most corpses are flown in from Gulf countries including United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar and Southeast Asian countries such as Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. 

The airlines that provide the service of carrying dead bodies as cargo are — Air India, Air India Express and Sri Lankan Airlines,” said a senior official on condition of anonymity.Tiruchy airport serves 18 adjacent districts and many residents from these areas go abroad to work as labourers and domestic helpers. 

Most victims hail from rural hamlets and go abroad to make a quick buck. Unfortunately, many die of health complications and financial shortcomings, the official said.  Along with the body, the officials also receive a death certificate and shockingly many victims die of cardiac arrest and liver malfunction. 

“Several labourers, whose families are deep in debt, work overtime under stressful conditions. The change in climate is another factor that leads to fatalities,” said K Senthi Kumar, a volunteer who helps families to bring back the bodies of their loved ones who die abroad.