Kuwait fire news: India sends military transport aircraft to bring back mortal remains of Indians | All we know so far

India on Thursday night sent a military transport aircraft to Kuwait to bring back the mortal remains of nearly 45 Indians who were killed in a fire at a building housing foreign workers in its southern city Mangaf.

Kuwaiti authorities have identified the bodies of 45 Indians and three Filipinos. At least 49 migrant workers were killed in the blaze, while at least 50 were injured.

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Here are the latest updates on Kuwait fire: 

• A C-130J transport aircraft of the Indian Air Force will bring back bodies on Friday. It will first land in Kochi as most of the deceased Indians are from Kerala, Indian officials said in Delhi.
• It is then expected to reach Delhi as some of those killed are from north Indian states.
• Kuwaiti authorities have already conducted DNA tests on the bodies as part of the identification process.
• Kuwaiti Fire Force said the deadly fire was caused by an "electrical short circuit".
• Kuwaiti news agency KUNA quoted the press statement of the nation's fire force, saying the conclusion on the cause of the fire was arrived at after the scene of the incident was examined.

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• Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh, who reached Kuwait this morning, separately met the Gulf nation's foreign minister Abdullah Ali Al-Yahya Al-Sabah and Health Minister Ahmad Abdelwahab Ahmad Al-Awadi.
• The Indian embassy in Kuwait said Foreign Minister Al-Yahya assured full support for medical care, early repatriation of mortal remains and investigation into the incident.
• "FM Yahya conveyed his condolences on the tragic incident. He assured full support including for medical care, early repatriation of mortal remains and investigation of the incident," the mission said on X.
• "MoS conveyed his appreciation for the cooperation being extended by all concerned authorities of Kuwait," it said.

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• Kriti Vardhan Singh also visited Mubarak Al Kabeer Hospital and Jaber Hospital, where several injured Indians remain admitted.
• In the meeting with Singh, the Kuwaiti health minister briefed him on steps taken to ensure the speedy recovery of Indians under his "personal supervision", according to the Indian embassy.
• "In an unfortunate and tragic fire incident earlier today in a Labour housing facility in Mangaf area of Kuwait, around 40 Indians are understood to have died and over 50 injured," the Ministry of External Affairs had said in a statement late on Wednesday night.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced an ex-gratia relief of ₹2 lakh to the families of deceased Indian nationals from the PM Relief Fund and directed that the government should extend all possible assistance.
• Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin has also announced a relief of ₹5 lakh each to the families of 7 people from the state who died in the accident.
• The fire in Al Mangaf building was reported to authorities in Al-Ahmadi governorate at 4.30 am on Wednesday and most of the deaths were due to smoke inhalation, Kuwaiti media reported, adding the fire started in a kitchen.
• Construction firm NBTC group rented the building for the stay of more than 195 workers, most of them Indians from Kerala, Tamil Nadu and northern states, the Kuwaiti media said.
• Interior Minister Al-Sabah ordered an investigation into the fire incident and issued directions to apprehend the owner and janitor of the Al-Mangaf building.