After the tragic fire incident in Kuwait that claimed the lives of around 40 Indians, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar spoke to his Kuwaiti counterpart, Abdullah Ali Al-Yahya for swift repatriation of the deceased. He also emphasized the need for a thorough investigation into the incident. Jaishankar took platform X and wrote, “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.” He also informed that the people who were injured in the fire were getting full medical attention. Jaishankar further revealed plans for a review of the situation upon the arrival of Union Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh in Kuwait on Thursday.
MoS MEA leaves for Kuwait
Earlier, on the directives of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, MoS Kirti Vardhan Singh was promptly dispatched to Kuwait to facilitate the expedited repatriation of mortal remains and provide medical assistance to the injured.
Singh while speaking to ANI said that they had a meeting with the Prime Minister on Wednesday. She will be traveling to Kuwait on Thursday where she will take stock of the situation and of those injured and admitted in the hospital. Prime Minister Modi, in a meeting held in the national capital, underscored ongoing efforts to identify the casualties and ensure proper care for the injured.
The fire broke out in a building that was housing workers in Mangaf city, southern Kuwait, early on Wednesday. The Indian Embassy has established an emergency helpline number, +965-65505246, to assist in connection with the tragic fire incident involving Indian workers. Meanwhile, PM Modi has announced an ex-gratia relief of Rs 2 lakh from the Prime Minister Relief Fund to the families of deceased Indian nationals.
Kuwait, similar to other countries in the Persian Gulf, has many migrant workers. These workers outnumber the local people by a significant amount. It is a country with about 4.2 million people, a bit smaller than the U.S. state of New Jersey, but it holds the sixth-largest oil reserves in the world.