ISSN: 0022-1198
CODEN: JFSCA
Page Count: 6

Medico-Legal Investigations of the Airbus A320 Crash upon Mount Ste-Odile, France
Tracqui, A
Physician, Institut de Médecine Légale,

Kaess, B
Professor of Odontology, Faculté de Chirurgie Dentaire de Strasbourg,

Ludes, B
Physician, Institut de Médecine Légale,

Memheld, B
Physician, Institut de Médecine Légale,

Kaempf, C
Forensic Odontologist, Institut de Médecine Légale,

Evenot, E
Forensic Odontologist,

Friederich, F
Forensic Odontologist, Institut de Médecine Légale,

Levy, F
Physician, Institut de Médecine Légale,

Pfitzinger, H
Laboratory Manager, Institut de Médecine Légale,

Hutt, JM
Forensic Odontologist, Institut de Médecine Légale,

Disteldorf, M
Physician, Institut de Médecine Légale,

Kintz, P
Forensic Scientists, Institut de Médecine Légale,

Mangin, P
Professor of Forensic Medicine and Director, Institut de Médecine Légale,

Haag, R
Professor of Odontology, Faculté de Chirurgie Dentaire de Strasbourg,

(Received 19 October 1993; accepted 1 February 1994)

Abstract

The authors present the medico-legal investigations and identification after the aircrash of the Airbus A320 upon the Mount Sainte-Odile (France). The identification team comprising investigators from the gendarmerie, forensic pathologists, odontologists, and scientists of the Institute from Legal Medecine rapidly retrieved and identified 85 of the 87 victims, with 17 being identified through DNA typing, three through fingerprints and the remaining through dental records and specific physical or X-ray findings.

Full autopsies were performed on all fatalities to determine patterns of injury and cause of death.

Results lead us to point out the importance of a multidisciplinary team of forensic practitioners especially trained for managing medico-legal investigation in mass disaster and the ability of DNA technology to solve complex identification problems.

Keywords:
pathology and biology, death investigation, mass disaster, victim identification, air disaster

Paper ID: JFS13698J
DOI: 10.1520/JFS13698J
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