All eight Israeli passengers who died in the plane crash while trying to land in a monsoon on the Thai island of Phuket earlier in the week have now been identified.
The government of Thailand, impressed with the work of the Israeli forensic team that was sent to the site, has invited Israel to participate in its investigation of the crash. Transportation Ministry airline accident investigator Yitzchak Raz will be sent on the mission, announced Transportation Minister Shaul Mofaz.
Foreign Ministry officials were joined by members of Magen David Adom and ZAKA, as well as the Chabad rabbi on the island, Rabbi Aharon Solomon, in working to identify the bodies of the Israeli victims. The team also helped workers identify the remains of other foreign nationals. The bodies of 36 foreigners have been identified thus far, with another 30 victims to go. There were 41 survivors, include two Israelis who were injured in the crash. They have returned to Israel.