Mass identification: a multidisciplinary operation. The Dutch experience

The organization of the Disaster Unit of the National Police Force of the Netherlands is described. Several aspects of its operation are discussed, including the recovery operation, technical identification, tactical identification, and finally the details of the Dutch operation in the disaster at Tenerife. The Tenerife disaster operation included the work at the crash site and temporary morgue setup, the method of technical identification, and the supplementary investigations upon return to the Netherlands. The success of this difficult task, shown by positive identification of 82% of the bodies of the victims, is truly remarkable.