Page:Report of the Board of Inquiry into the Helderberg air disaster.djvu/71

Rh Some of these wreckage pieces showed signs of exposure to heat and smoke. Examples are pieces of cabin ceiling panels and pieces of air ducts.

1.13 Medical and Pathological information

Fifteen lots of human remains were found and presented for post-mortem examinations. One lot contained the fragmented remains of two different bodies. The lower respiratory passages of one of these two bodies contained soot. The contents of six lots were only described and not further reported on.

The reports on the medico-legal post-mortem examinations on 8 bodies indicated extensive injuries to the upper parts namely to heads, chests and ribs. The cause of death of six accident victims was given as multiple injuries and of two as multiple injuries plus carbon monoxide intoxication. The blood specimens of these two bodies were in an advanced state of deoomposition. Analyses for carboxyhaemoglobin were done by gas chromatography. The carboxyhaemoglobin saturation was 60,5% and 67,2%. (see paragraphs 1.14.2 p and 2.12 pp – below). No cyanide was found in the blood from the victim that had 67,2% saturation. No mention was made of a cyanide test of the other blood specimen or of any