The Disaster Victims Identification Information Management Center officially started its operation in Phuket, Thailand on Tuesday.

According to the chief of the center, commander of Australia New South Wales Police Jeff Emery, there were about 60 people from over 20 countries working at the center to assist in the victims identification work.

They include pathologists, dentists, deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)specialists and fingerprint specialists etc. who do matching of the post-mortem specimen of the victims and the information of them provided by their kins.

Emery said the identification progress depends on the speed of collection of the victims' information from around the world, and the quality of the post-mortem specimen.

The center has got the world's best and latest technology and the staff are very hopeful of some success shortly, said Emery.

(Xinhua News Agency January 11, 2005)