PHUKET, Thailand - In the midst of the tragedy in Phuket an interesting diplomatic exchange unfolded yesterday. Like other diplomats who are here in order to assist their nationals, Sfader Shafi, counselor for consular affairs at the Iranian embassy in Bangkok, is here because 24 Iranian nationals were registered on the passenger manifest of the fateful flight. So far, he found six in hospitals on the island. He believes that 18 are dead.

However, the Thai authorities are reluctant to release bodies without DNA proof of their identities. Shafi said that his government is trying to get blood samples of relatives of the missing to the Thai authorities, but in some cases it is impossible.

So, Shafi asked the head of the Israel police forensic team, Yaki Oved, for help, in getting the bodies from Phuket to Bangkok, in an effort to ease the hardship of the family members able to travel from Iran to identify their loved ones.