Fire tragedy: MoS KV Singh meets Kuwait FM; assured of full support

New Delhi: Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh met with Foreign Minister of Kuwait Abdullah Ali Al-Yahya on Thursday during which he was assured of full support and early repatriation of the mortal remains of Indian nationals killed in the fire tragedy.

Ali Al-Yahya conveyed his condolences on the tragic incident and assured Kuwait's full support, including medical care, early repatriation of mortal remains and investigation into the incident, the Indian embassy in Kuwait said.

The MoS arrived in Kuwait to oversee assistance for those injured in the fire tragedy and coordinate with local authorities for early repatriation of mortal remains of the deceased, it said.

The MoS met with the injured at Jaber and Mubarak Al Kabeer Hospital and ascertained their well-being. He also assured them of all the support from the Government of India, the Indian Embassy in Kuwait posted on X, adding that the injured are now "safe."

The MoS appreciated the efforts of all the concerned authorities, including the hospital staff, for their cooperation.

A fire broke out in a Labour housing facility in the Mangaf area of Kuwait early on Wednesday, claiming at least 49 lives, out of which 40 were Indian nationals.

Earlier on Wednesday, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar also spoke to his Kuwaiti counterpart about the fire tragedy and urged the early repatriation of the mortal remains of those who lost their lives.

EAM Jaishankar, in a post on X, said, "Spoke to Kuwaiti FM Abdullah Ali Al-Yahya on the fire tragedy in Kuwait. Apprised of the efforts made by Kuwaiti authorities in that regard. Was assured that the incident would be fully investigated and that responsibility will be fixed."

The Embassy has also established a helpline +965-65505246 (WhatsApp and regular calls) for family members to get in touch, and regular updates are being provided through the helpline.