20 years since the 2004 tsunami: a Gruyère resident testifies

Twenty years ago, in 2004, a tsunami hit the coasts of Sumatra, Indonesia and many countries in the Indian Ocean. This event is often cited as the worst natural disaster in recent history. The death toll stands at more than 225,000.

When a tragedy of this magnitude occurs, individuals have the task of having to identify the remains after the waves have passed. A body identification team, called in Switzerland “Disaster Victims Identification” (DVI), was formed for this type of operation. People who are part of this collective can be called into action around the world, upon call from their government. They are generally mandated after natural disasters such as attacks or other events.

A Fribougeois from Riaz, Jean-Luc Gremaud, former member of the DVI, was dispatched to Thailand with the Swiss delegation after the tsunami in 2004. According to him, the identification work, and the consequences it can have for those who exercise it, are very different depending on the nature of the disaster.

The Swiss DVI Team is made up of members of the police and forensic medicine. They notably intervened after the fire in the St-Gotthard tunnel in 2001.