Authorities begin returning remains of Air India crash victims after DNA identification
AHMEDABAD — Authorities have begun returning the remains of victims from one of India's worst aviation disasters after confirming identities through DNA testing, days after the Air India crash that killed at least 270 people in Gujarat state, officials said on Sunday.
The London-bound Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed shortly after takeoff on Thursday, striking a medical college hostel in a densely populated residential area of Ahmedabad.
The crash killed 241 people onboard and at least 29 on the ground. One passenger survived.
Hundreds of grieving relatives provided DNA samples at the Civil Hospital in Ahmedabad as many of the bodies were severely burned or mutilated, rendering them unrecognizable.
Rajneesh Patel, a senior official at the hospital, said 32 victims had been identified so far through DNA mapping, and families were notified.
The remains of 14 victims have already been handed over to their next of kin.
Outside the hospital mortuary, families waited in silence as authorities completed formal procedures and transferred remains in coffins into ambulances.
Some expressed frustration over the slow pace of identification.
Officials noted that DNA matching typically takes up to 72 hours and that efforts were underway to accelerate the process.
In response to the crash, India's Ministry of Civil Aviation has formed a high-level committee to investigate the causes and develop procedures to prevent future aviation disasters.
'The committee will examine all aspects related to the crash and recommend systemic improvements,' the ministry said in a statement on Saturday.
Meanwhile, inspections have begun across Air India's fleet of Boeing 787 aircraft.
Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu announced that eight of the 34 Dreamliners in India had already been checked, with the rest scheduled for urgent examination.
Investigators recovered the aircraft's digital flight data recorder, or "black box," on Friday from a rooftop near the crash site.
The device is expected to reveal critical information about engine performance, control systems, and pilot actions.
The cockpit voice recorder will provide insights into communications in the final moments of the flight.
The aircraft involved in the crash was 12 years old. While Boeing's 787 Dreamliner has maintained a strong safety record globally — with more than 1,200 units in operation — this marks the first fatal crash of the model in its 16-year history.
However, Boeing has faced scrutiny over safety issues in other aircraft types in recent years. — Agencies
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