Disaster victim identification

Disaster victim identification (DVI) is the process of identifying the remains of people who have died in a mass fatality incident such as a plane crash or bomb blast.[1][2] The process can be time-consuming to avoid mis-identification. Techniques include fingerprinting, use of dental records and DNA profiling.[3]

The DVI process typically follows a structured four-phase approach: scene examination, post-mortem data collection, ante-mortem data collection, and reconciliation. Specialized DVI teams-often composed of forensic pathologists, odontologists, fingerprint experts, and DNA analysts – are deployed to manage this process. Coordination between international and national agencies is common during large-scale disasters, with standardized protocols guided by organizations such as INTERPOL, which issued its first DVI guidelines in 1984 and continues to update them regularly.[4]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Disaster victim identification". College of Policing.
  2. ^ "Disaster Victim Identification (DVI)". Interpol.
  3. ^ "Disaster Victim Identification". Australia and New Zealand Policing Advisory Agency. Retrieved 2022-12-14.
  4. ^ "Disaster Victim Identification (DVI)". www.interpol.int. Retrieved 2025-12-03.


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