Advances in Aircraft Accident Disaster Victim Identification Using DNA Techniques

Modern DNA technologies have substantially advanced disaster victim identification. The advances are summarized while stressing privacy, security, and psychological values of victim identification. Identification of victims in fatal aircraft accidents demonstrated the effectiveness of DNA profiling. Initially based on minisatellite or microsatellite loci (i.e., short tandem repeats), DNA analyses are moving toward high-throughput massively parallel sequencing (MPS) that enables analysis of genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphisms, permitting typing of highly degraded samples with increased sensitivity. MPS has made it possible to analyze highly degraded samples. Adoption of MPS also has led to the emergence of a new discipline for human identification known as forensic genetic genealogy. Compared with short tandem repeat typing and mitochondrial DNA sequencing, forensic genetic genealogy substantially expands the analytical space for identification of human remains. The elements of data privacy and security with mass disasters are also important considerations for adopting this technology. Vuorio A, Sajantila A, Bor R, Budowle B. Advances in aircraft accident disaster victim identification using DNA techniques. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2026; 97(8):648-650.