JAKARTA. Transportation Minister E.E. Mangindaan, representing the Indonesian government, handed over the remains of the Sukhoi Superjet 100 crash victims to their relatives at a ceremony at Halim Perdanakusuma Airport in East Jakarta on Wednesday.

Present at the ceremony was National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) chief Air Vice Marshal Daryatmo, who had the minister sign a document officially accepting the victims' remains.

Also signing the document was a representative from the Russian Embassy in Indonesia, who accepted the remains of eight Russian victims on behalf of their family members and the Russian government.

Mangindaan delivered a short speech before handing the victims' bodies over to family members.

"On behalf of the Indonesian government, we send our deepest sympathies over the victims . We give them our prayers. May they be accepted at God's side and that He forgive all their sins and accept all their merits," the minister said.

"We pray that the families can be strong in accepting this disaster. This disaster is an accident we didn't want, but fate said otherwise."

The minister thanked the groups involved in the search.

"I would like to thank Basarnas, the Indonesian Military (TNI), the National Police, the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI), the student volunteers, the Nature Lovers Society (Wanadri), the people around Mt. Salak, and others who have provided support in helping with the evacuation process without even think of personal risks," he said.

Some 38 ambulances have been prepared, ready to transport the remains to their relatives’ houses for funerals.

On May 9, the Russian-made aircraft smashed into Mt. Salak in Bogor, West Java, while on a demonstration flight, generally known in Indonesia as a "joy flight".

The plane had vanished from radar screens before an Air Force helicopter discovered the wreckage the following morning.

Of the 45 passengers, 35 were Indonesians and eight were Russians. A US citizen and a French national were also on board. No one survived.

The National Police previously said at least Rp 800 million (US$86,400) from the state budget has been spent identifying the victims of the Sukhoi plane crash.

The identification process started on May 12 and ended on Sunday. (The Jakarta Post)

Editor: Edy Can