Remains of Indonesian plane Indian pilot identified

The mortal remains of Bhavye Suneja, the pilot of the ill-fated Indonesian Lion Air plane, has been recovered and identified – more than three weeks after the aircraft crashed into the Java Sea with an eight-member-crew and 181 passengers onboard.

Suneja, a 31-year-old citizen of India, was the pilot of the Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft, which plunged into Java Sea just 13 minutes after it took off from Jakarta for a flight to Pangkal Pinang on Bangka Belitung Islands of Indonesia on October 30.

A part of Suneja's body was recovered among the mortal remains of the 125 people and identified by Indonesian Police's Disaster Victim Identification unit. A DNA analysis on the body part on Friday confirmed it to be Suneja's.

“Indonesian authorities have confirmed identification of the body of Capt. Bhavye Suneja. The remains will be handed over to the family in the presence of @IndianEmbJkt today,” External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj posted on Twitter on Saturday. “My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family.”

Suneja, who grew up in New Delhi, lived in Jakarta with his wife Garima. His parents lived at Mayur Vihar in the national capital territory.