lenaitch
Senior Member
All good points, especially considering that many countries aren't as definitive in confirming the identity of dead bodies as we are. Can you imagine a plane crash in North America and the carrier publicly releasing the manifest that day and saying 'these are the victims'? Or somebody trudging through the debris saying 'that's Bob'?At this point, the fact that he hasn't made some kind of public statement means it's virtually impossible he was on the other plane that was able to land in Moscow.
As for how they would have identified the body, we don't know how badly disfigured it was in the crash. They could have also found ID on him, or clothing that matched what he was wearing when he got on the plane. Not sure how fast DNA or dental records would be but maybe those could be used? If this was targeted, they could have made sure to have any records they'd need for quick ID as they'd want to be certain they got him.
As @Richard White notes, they did know he was on the plane too, publicly they are acknowledging he was on the manifest. Apparently he had the second plane as a decoy, but they may have also been surveilling the airport and thus ensured he was on the plane beforehand.
Same day DNA/dental records is only on TV. In Canada, and I will assume elsewhere in real, functioning countries, the identity of an intact dead body, carrying identification and not under medical care is typically confirmed visually by a NOK, dental records, perhaps a day because pathologists don't do autopsies at the scene, or DNA (6-8 weeks, maybe their military is faster).