M1 horror crash victims had to be identified by their fingerprints, inquest hears
EIGHT people who died in Britain’s worst motorway accident for nearly 25 years had to be identified by their fingerprints, an inquest heard today.
M1 crash scene where two lorries and a minibus collided
The minibus driver and seven passengers were killed as they travelled down the M1 on a Bank Holiday trip to Disneyland Paris, the hearing was told.
Milton Keynes Senior Coroner Tom Osborne was told the bus was trapped between a lorry which was stationary and a second coming from behind.
Mr Osborne opened and adjourned the inquests, releasing the victims’ bodies for burial.
All of the victims were of south Indian descent, but some lived and worked in Nottingham.
I have signed the mortuary release forms for the bodies to be repatriated to India
They were named as Cyriac Joseph, 52, a father-of-two, from Nottingham, who owned and drove the minibus.
Rishi Rajeev Kumar, 27, Vivek Bhaskaran, 26, Karthikeyan Pugalur Ramasubramanian, 33, all worked for the same Nottingham IT firm Wipro.
The remaining dead were Panneerselvam Annamalai, 63, Subramaniyan Arachelvan, 58, Tamilmani Arachelvan, 50 and Lavanyalakshmi Seetharaman, 32.
They were Catholics from the Kerala region who were travelling from Nottingham to London to catch the Eurostar.
Coroner’s officer Frederick Howe said an articulated lorry was stationary in the inside lane, the minibus slowed and stopped, then a second lorry pushed into its rear.
He said the dead were identified by their fingerprints and four other people were taken to hospital with serious injuries.
Mr Osborne added: “I have signed the mortuary release forms for the bodies to be repatriated to India.
“The inquest is suspended until proceedings in crown court are concluded.
“I would like to thank all those involved in recovering and identifying the dead who worked tirelessly to return them to families as soon as possible.
“My condolences and sympathy to the families for this tragic accident.”
Polish lorry driver Ryszard Masierak, 31, has been remanded in custody charged with eight counts of causing death by dangerous driving, and four of causing serious injury by dangerous driving.
Masierak, of Evesham, Worcestershire, is also accused of eight counts of causing death by careless driving while over the prescribed alcohol limit.
Another trucker, David Wagstaff, aged 53, of Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, has been charged with eight counts of causing death by dangerous driving and four counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving.