Hundreds of Indians visiting Australia have been stranded in the country for months after India put a total ban on international flights.
While many are relieved by the recent announcement that the Indian government has started the registration process to take them back to their motherland, there's concern that some visitors and residents who have died whilst in Australia are being forced to be laid to rest here.
The Indian community in New South Wales was recently shaken by the unexpected death of two people.
Highlights:
- No option to take mortal remains back to India says Indian Consulate
- No charter flights but some financial assistance can be offered
- Cargo flights can carry mortal remains, but not if the death was due to Covid-19
Thirty-six-year-old Mejo Varghese and 45-year-old A R Najendran passed away on April 25th and 26th respectively after suffering from heart attacks.
India's extension of the travel ban put their relatives in a dilemma after they could not find a way to repatriate their bodies back to their homeland.
While Najendran was buried here, Mejo’s relatives are still waiting for a green light from the Indian government to take his body back home for his devastated parents to pay their last rites.
Qantas aircraft a Sydney Airport in Sydney, Thursday, March 19, 2020. Source: AAP
The Indian government has confirmed that there is no option to take the mortal remains back to India for now.
There is no option to take the mortal remains back to India as of now. The repatriation can be done once the restrictions of flight operations are lifted The Indian consulate in Sydney told SBS Malayalam.
“Mejo’s wife wants to take his body back to his homeland Kerala. As there are no options now, we are waiting for a door to open,” told Shijo P Joseph.
In addition to the residents, many parents visiting their children in Australia also passed away during this coronavirus crisis. They all were laid to rest in the Australian soil with no choice left.
“My 74-year-old father-in-law Mathew Joseph passed away following an aneurysm. We tried to take his mortal remains back to India. However, there was no clarification from the Indian High Commission on whether it is possible to repatriate the body.
His other children who are settled in different countries were also unable to reach India. So, we had to bury him here,” said Melbourne based Santhosh Augustine.
Queenslanders are being urged to continue practicing social distancing as some coronavirus measures are rolled back. Source: AAP
Mathew Joseph is not the only parent who was forced to be buried here in Australia.
Melbourne based Nijo Kurian’s 70-year-old mother-in-law Rosy Thomas, who passed away on April first week was also laid to rest here.
And there are others whose mortal remains were not taken back to their homeland.
Although many deaths are reported among the Indian community in Australia, no alternate ways have been put forward by the Indian government at this stage, putting their relatives in limbo.
Source: Getty Images/Pascal Deloche
The Indian Consulate in Sydney has also confirmed that they are not arranging any charter flights as of now to take the mortal remains.
However, the Consulate said that they can provide some financial support to the bereaved family.
“There are provisions of getting financial support to an extent. The applicant needs to directly get in touch with the Consulate,” told the Indian Consulate.
Cargo flights offer the facility
As India has extended its lockdown banning the entry of passenger flights, SBS Malayalam also contacted a cargo company to see whether cargo flights could be used to carry bodies to India.
According to the export operations of Century Cargo company in Sydney, Malaysia Airlines has offered the facility to carry human remains in its cargo flights to India. However, the flight operates only from Sydney to Mumbai via Kuala Lumpur and not to other parts of the country. Hence, those belonging to other parts of India have to find their way out.
According to the Indian Consulate, they do not provide any support to carry the mortal remains on cargo flights.
“To send mortal remains through cargo flights, the family/funeral house needs to check with the cargo flight operators,” says the Consulate.
The cargo company told that the funeral director will have to contact the cargo company with all relevant documents such as death certificate, embalming certificate, and the documents from the consulate for this purpose.
美國底特律一名20歲女子殯儀館內翻生! Source: Getty Images
However, the company made it clear that the airlines will not carry the human remains of those who died due to coronavirus.
