A C-130 of the Hellenic Air Force will repatriate the remains of the three Greek nationals, who are confirmed to have perished in the Norman Atlantic tragedy.

The transfer was initially scheduled for Thursday, however it was delayed due to red tape from the Italian side. The C-130 will depart from the airport in Bari for Athens later in the day.

The expenses of the transfer will be covered entirely by the Ministry of National Defense.

Preliminary autopsies have shown that many of the victims in the tragedy at sea died as a result of the rather low temperatures. While many recovered bodies had burns, they are not believed to have been the cause of death.

Regarding the three confirmed Greek nationals, the Italian press has reported that they drowned after experiencing a “shock” from the very low temperature at sea.