Ashes of Mexican virus victims flown home from NY

The cremated remains of 250 Mexicans who died after contracting COVID-19 in the US were repatriated to the capital of their homeland late on Saturday.

A Mexican Air Force plane flew the remains from New York to Benito Suarez International airport, where a sombre welcome home ceremony was held.

All 250 Mexicans lost their lives in New York, the state with the highest coronavirus death toll among the Mexican migrant community in the US.

According to the government, more than 1,500 Mexicans have died from COVID-19 in the United States, including 728 in New York.

Many of the victims died weeks ago, but a delay in securing the right documentation meant their loved ones weren't able to repatriate them any sooner.

The return was also hampered by the limited number of flights from the US to Mexico because of lockdown restrictions.

The Mexican government paid for the remains to be repatriated and will next transfer the ashes to the victims' hometowns across the country.

Among the cremated remains being repatriated on Saturday was kitchen worker Mauricio Martinez, who died April, aged 39.

Awaiting the return of his son's ashes in San Jerónimo Xayacatlán in Puebla state is 69-year-old Wilfredo Martinez.

He plans to bury his son's ashes next to the remains of his late wife, Mauricio's mother, at the local cemetery.

Mauricio was one of Wilfredo's nine children who all emigrated to the United States in the last two decades.

Martinez the elder last saw his late son 18 years ago - and last spoke to him on the phone.

He says Mauricio, who was a diabetic, sent him some money to enjoy the town fair.