The families of Blair John and Alrae Ramsey, the two Bahamians whose bodies were pulled from the Po River in Italy a few weeks ago, have requested and independent autopsy which the government supports.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Darren Henfield confirmed as much yesterday, as the bodies of the two young men arrived aboard a British Airways flight yesterday afternoon.

The autopsy report, he said, will be done between Thursday night and before the funerals. 

“The families are all gathered here. We have been personally involved in the families since day one and we’re happy to have them here today at the VIP Lounge with the minister of foreign affairs so they can witness the removal of the bodies and be a part of what I think is part of the healing process for the country,” Henfield said.

“Our priority has been and always will be how we treat the family in the face of this very tragic, very sad incident that has attracted the attention of the entire country and even some parts of the international community.”

Ramsey’s funeral service will be held on Saturday at St. Agnes Anglican Church at 10 a.m.

John’s funeral will also be held on Saturday at Evangelistic Temple at 1 p.m. 

A foreign service officer, 29-year-old Ramsey was in Turin, Italy on study leave in Vienna.

Twenty-eight-year-old John, meantime, was there attending a psychology conference. Reports are that the two drowned. 

Attorney General Carl Bethel on Wednesday gave the family members the leeway to request a further review of the physical evidence in the case.