Mass Fatality Incidents (MFIs) such as aircraft crashes and natural disasters may require the identification of hundreds or thousands of individuals. Conventional means of identification (fingerprints and dental records) are often used to identify intact victim remains. However, the result of such disasters is often the extreme fragmentation of victims' remains. DNA analysis is the primary tool used for identification of fragmented remains and for the re-association of individual fragments.

Almost all MFIs will require some level of DNA analysis. Multiple family members may be victims in the same MFI. If one family member is identified by dental comparison, a second member could be identified through DNA analysis, using the identified family member for comparison.

DNA identification can also be used to help putative family members determine whether they are truly related. The use of mtDNA analysis can assist with the identification of maternal relatives. The use of Y-STR analysis can be used to assist with the identification of paternal relatives.