Journal Published Online: 01 September 1994
Volume 39, Issue 5

Medico-Legal Investigations of the Airbus A320 Crash upon Mount Ste-Odile, France

CODEN: JFSCAS

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.

Author Information

Ludes, B
Institut de Médecine Légale, Strasbourg Cedex, France
Tracqui, A
Institut de Médecine Légale, Strasbourg Cedex, France
Pfitzinger, H
Institut de Médecine Légale, Strasbourg, France
Kintz, P
Institut de Médecine Légale, Strasbourg, France
Levy, F
Institut de Médecine Légale, Strasbourg Cedex, France
Disteldorf, M
Institut de Médecine Légale, Strasbourg Cedex, France
Hutt, JM
Institut de Médecine Légale, Strasbourg, France
Kaess, B
Faculté de Chirurgie Dentaire de Strasbourg, France
Haag, R
Faculté de Chirurgie Dentaire de Strasbourg, France
Memheld, B
Institut de Médecine Légale, Strasbourg Cedex, France
Kaempf, C
Institut de Médecine Légale, Strasbourg, France
Friederich, F
Institut de Médecine Légale, Strasbourg, France
Evenot, E
, Paris, France
Mangin, P
Institut de Médecine Légale, Strasbourg, France
Pages: 6
Price: $25.00
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Stock #: JFS13698J
ISSN: 0022-1198
DOI: 10.1520/JFS13698J