THE REMAINS of one of the Irish doctors killed in the Air France plane crash last month have been positively identified among the 51 bodies recovered through the search operation, Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin confirmed yesterday.
Dr Jane Deasy (27) from Rathgar, Dublin was one of three Irish women on board the Air France flight AF447 from Rio de Janeiro to Paris which went missing above the Atlantic Ocean on May 31st.
Her remains were formally identified on Tuesday night. An Irish Embassy official in Recife was liaising with the Brazilian authorities with regard to their repatriation. A spokeswoman from the Department of Foreign Affairs yesterday said this would be done at the earliest possible opportunity.
In a statement yesterday her family said they were “enormously relieved” her body had been recovered.
“The members of the Deasy family and Alex Creavin, beloved boyfriend, are enormously relieved that the body of the late and the loved Dr Jane Deasy has been found.
“They wish to thank all those who prayed for her return and sent messages of support, which were a source of great comfort at this very difficult time.”
The statement said their thoughts were with the Butler and Walls families and they prayed the bodies of the two women would also be found. They also thanked the Irish and international agencies involved. “Finally, the family ask the media to respect their privacy at this very difficult time.”
Dr Deasy, who graduated from Trinity College Dublin’s medical school in 2007, was due to take up a position at the Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital on Dublin’s Adelaide Road yesterday.
Mr Martin has offered his condolences to her family.
“I reiterate my sincerest condolences to Dr Deasy’s family, and to all those who lost loved ones in this terrible tragedy,” he said.
The flight had 228 people on board, including Dr Deasy who was returning from a holiday with two friends, Dr Eithne Walls (28) from Ballygowan, Co Down, and Dr Aisling Butler (26) of Roscrea, Co Tipperary.
Only 51 bodies had been recovered by the time the search was called off last month. Some 33 passengers have been identified so far. Mr Martin said his department continued to remain in close contact with their families and the Irish Embassies in Paris and Brasilia would remain in contact with the relevant authorities.
Two officers from the Garda Technical Bureau, experienced in disaster victim identification, were sent to Rio de Janeiro to help. Both returned on June 25th.
