Chile - S. Florida Rabbi Races To Return Bodies Of Crash Victims

Chile - Fort Lauderdale Fla. Rabbi Leibel Miller came to Chile to deal with the return of the bodies to the United States, on the request of the cruise liner - and the ticking clock of Jewish law.

Miller, of Hallandale Beach, Fla., was in the desert "in the middle of nowhere," he said, rushing to get the dead home to New Jersey following Wednesday's accident when 14 Celebrity Cruise ship tourists in a van careened off a Chilean mountainside. A dozen died and two were injured.
Miller was working to bring the bodies home before the Shabbas beginning.

Miller worked with the Chilean District Attorney's Office on Thursday to facilitate the paperwork for the flights home. Then, he convinced the Chilean government to allow shipping the bodies without embalming, according to Jewish law and tradition. Embalming is usually required by some countries for shipment.
In Chile, he rented refrigerated containers to store the bodies before he was able to seal them in caskets.

Late in the day he was still working with the police to release the bloody clothing, needed according to proper Jewish burials. And two chartered planes are expected to transport the remains at 3 a.m. Friday.