LABUAN BAJO, Indonesia — In the solemn quiet of a forensic examination room, far from the vast Komodo seas where he was found, the identity of Fernando Martín Carreras was confirmed not by a single, definitive piece of evidence, but through a careful mosaic of personal details.
Police officials have detailed the intricate, science-driven process that formally identified the Valencia CF coach, a procedure that highlights both the challenges of a maritime tragedy and the lengths taken to provide a family with certainty.
The East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) Regional Police confirmed the identification was completed in strict accordance with international Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) protocols.
The process involved a meticulous comparison of ante-mortem data—information provided by the family and Spanish authorities—with post-mortem findings from the forensic examination.
“The identification was carried out very carefully, prioritizing scientific principles and humanity,” stated Kombes Pol. Henry Novika Chandra, Head of Public Relations for NTT Police.
He explained that while primary data, such as fingerprints, was compromised by the body’s condition in the water, investigators established a definitive match through multiple secondary identifiers.
“A strong match was found between the ante-mortem and post-mortem data, including adult male gender, height, distinctive tattoos, and personal property such as a ring and a wristwatch. All these findings were confirmed by the family,” Henry elaborated.
This method is standard under Interpol’s DVI guidelines, which allow for a formal confirmation when two or more strong secondary identifiers align, even when primary data is unavailable. The personal effects—the watch and ring—served as silent, powerful witnesses, corroborating the physical evidence to remove any doubt.
The coach was recovered on January 4, the tenth day of the search for victims of the KM Putri Sakinah, which sank on December 26. His 12-year-old daughter was found on December 29. With the father’s identity now formally and scientifically confirmed, the sprawling search operation has narrowed with painful focus to its final objective: locating his two sons, the last missing pieces in a family’s devastating puzzle.
The body now rests in Labuan Bajo as authorities coordinate with the family and the Spanish Embassy for repatriation, a final journey home made possible by the quiet, diligent work of forensic science.
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