When someone dies away from home, whether from overseas or interstate, families face a very difficult process. Not only are they faced with the tragic loss of someone important to them, they need to arrange a funeral away from their familiar surroundings. They also face the need to transport their loved one home.

This can be a very daunting task, dealing with travel insurers, consulates and airlines, not to mention the intricate legal requirements surrounding the process.

The Gold Coast in particular, and Queensland in general, are among the world’s premier tourist destinations. The beauty of our coastline and climate mean that people are keen to travel, study, work, and retire here.

The Russell Firth Funeral Group has a special dedication and responsibility to the important and sometimes complicated task of the careful shipment of human remains to countries all over the world and to different states within Australia. Rowan Steer, one of the principals of the group has for nearly twenty years assisted families to return their loved ones home to most countries of the world.

We have chosen to specialise in this area because we believe we have a unique level of experience and understanding of the processes.

Most travel insurance policies contain a specific clause stating that in the event of someone dying abroad the insurance company will cover the cost of returning their body home. Our group works with many travel assist organisations, such as World Care, that deal with this aspect of the protection of the traveler.

So What Happens First?

As when any person dies, the first priority is to transfer them to a place of safety and care until the appropriate relatives can be advised, and their specific instructions obtained. Once these instructions are clear (and they may come from the family, the travel insurer or possibly even the consulate of their country of origin) the death must be registered in the normal manner. Only when the local Registrar of births, deaths and marriages has been advised of the death and the intention to remove the person from Australia, can the process start.

Consulates

Instruction on a number of issues must be sought from the Consul of the particular country –

• Their specific requirements for sealing and shipment to their country;
• Some countries require a permit for the deceased to travel (not unlike a Visa); and
• Assistance with translating all relevant documents so that the receiving funeral director and local authorities can understand the process when the deceased arrives home.

Consignee

In order to facilitate safe arrival of the deceased at their destination the funeral director will need details of the consignee, which is the term for the person who is responsible to take the person into their care on arrival in the home country. The funeral director must have the name, address and international phone and fax numbers of the consignee before a booking can be made for air carriage. This is for one reason only and that is the precious nature of the cargo, which needs specific care and attention on arrival at its destination.

Care Of The Deceased - Securing And Sealing The Casket

The first rule of air travel is that the deceased must be embalmed. This preservative treatment of the deceased is designed to alleviate the need to keep them in a cooled environment. This procedure cares for their condition until they arrive home, and ensures the safety of the staff that handle the casket at various stages of the journey. On most occasions and to most countries of the world, the deceased person must be placed in an inner metal container that is then sealed and placed in an outer casket, generally of wood. This casket is then wrapped for its protection and safety during air transit and identified properly with the name of the consignee and the destination.

Can You Travel With Your Loved One?

The staff of the Russell Firth Funeral Group realise that on most occasions it is the desire of the family to travel with their loved one. On every occasion we will seek to book the family, on the flight home carrying the person who has died. At the very least, we do our best to book the family together on the flight home so they have the comfort of each other’s support. This is not always easy at short notice. We offer you our every effort, using our contacts in the travel industry towards achieving this.

Travel Within Australia

Although not as complicated as arranging an overseas transfer, sending a loved one within Australia is also one of our great strengths. This can be done in a number of ways, usually by air carriage but also by road transport. Road transport is generally used over shorter distances. Air travel is far quicker and more efficient for greater distances.

For further information about the process of interstate or overseas transfers, please contact Rowan Steer and our specialist repatriation department, twenty-four hours a day.

 
So what happens first?
Consulates
Consignee
Care of the deceased-securing and sealing the casket.
Can you travel with your loved one?
Travel within Australia.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

> Back to Top

 

 

 

 

 

> Back to Top

 

 

 

 

 

> Back to Top

 

 

 

 

> Back to Top

 

 

 

 

 

 

> Back to Top

 

 

 

 

 

> Back to Top

 

 

 

 

 

> Back to Top