21 Jul 2014
ACPO sends Police officers to Ukraine to help identify victim’s bodies
Since the tragic events of Thursday in Ukraine, the National Policing Disaster Victim Identification Team (DVI) have been actively working with the Interpol and Dutch teams to agree an assessment process and options for the recovery, identification and return of the victims to their families and loved ones. Access to the scene is the starting point for the physical process of recovery and identification.
The Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) provide a lead police region on call for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and in this case this is the London region. We have sent two senior officers from the Metropolitan Police and the National Policing DVI Team as an assessment team to work with Interpol and Dutch colleagues to agree the requirement for each country. This will ensure the identification process is completed accurately and as quickly as possible. The DVI response will be an international effort in which the UK will play its full part.
We are aware of the distress the delay in the recovery of the victims will be causing to the families and as soon as access to the scene and recovery of the bodies is made possible the work to identify the victims will start.
We continue to work closely with the FCO and further resources are available as required.
For more information please contact:
ACPO Press Office
Association of Chief Police Officers
e: press.office@acpo.pnn.police.uk
Contact information
Communications office
By phone: 0800 538 5058
By email: press.office@npcc.police.uk