THE founder of a Co Down-based charity that helps bring home the bodies of people who have died overseas has told how bereaved families feel "in limbo" after tragedies abroad.
Colin Bell and his family set up the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust in memory of his 26-year-old son Kevin, who died in suspected hit-and-run in New York in 2013.
Since then the charitable trust has provided assistance to families faced with similar tragedies abroad, helping in more than 110 repatriations to Ireland.
Mr Bell has offered assistance to the families of newlywed couple John and Lynette Rodgers, who drowned last week while on honeymoon in South Africa.
The 62-year-old said he spoke to Lynette's mother Eva on the phone on Saturday and offered any help, advice or support the families might need following the double-tragedy.
"It was early on Saturday morning, I don't know how much sleep she was able to have, but she is totally devastated," he said.
It can cost several thousand pounds to repatriate bodies. Without the trust, many families would have had to pay it themselves because neither the British or Irish governments cover the expense.
Mr Bell said the families of John and Lynette Rodgers would not need financial help from the trust because they had their own travel insurance.
However, he said it is important to grieving families for repatriations to be carried out as soon as possible.
"Obviously the quicker the better for a family who are sitting waiting in limbo," the retired teacher from Newry said.
"That is the worst time. There is some closure when you get the body home. Both waiting and not being able to do anything is the hardest thing. It's like having a wake without a body."
Mr Bell said the bodies of the young couple could be returned to Northern Ireland within the coming days.
"Once the body is released it is only a matter of getting a suitable flight," he said yesterday.
"Different jurisdictions have different times. It all really depends on getting paperwork done. Paperwork will probably start on Monday and might take a couple of days."
