Air India plane crash: DNA testing chaos mounts after 2 heads found in one body bag; Airline issues statement
Air India Plane Crash: Forensic teams involved in the process of victim identification were challenged with the task of repeating a 72-hour-long DNA testing procedure after two heads of two victims were found together in a single body bag, following the deadly plane crash in Ahmedabad that killed 241 people.
'This will require the DNA sampling process to be repeated as the parts belong to two victims and shouldn't be in the same bag,' a senior official at Ahmedabad's Civil Hospital told TOI.
Earlier today, an official said that authorities so far have identified 32 victims through DNA testing and bodies of 14 have been handed over to their families, reported PTI.
Air India on Sunday, issued a statement that over 400 family members have reached Ahmedabad, with each family being assigned one care-giver by the Tata Group owned airline.
In its statement, the airline added that it remains in mourning on the tragic loss of 241 passengers and crew members aboard flight AI171.
On Thursday, June 12, which Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran called the 'darkest day in Tata Group's history,' the ill fated AI-171 plane ended in the death of all but one of the 242 people aboard.
With the identification of the remaining bodies still underway, grieving relatives clung onto hopes that authorities will be able to retrieve all the parts of the bodies of their cherished ones.
On Saturday, a man was seen pleading with officials to hand over the complete remains of his family members for their last rites. However, he was told that this was unlikely.
'It was hard to convince him,' the official told TOI.
The official also added that due to the severely charred condition of the bodies, it is not possible to guarantee the recovery of all body parts, reported TOI.
The person added that a standard clinical protocol is being followed, which involves placing the remains in body bags, transferring them to cold storage, conducting thorough forensic analysis, and eventually handing over the identified remains to the families in coffins.
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The Print
42 minutes ago
- The Print
Plane crash: DNA tests identify 80 victims including ex-CM Rupani; 33 bodies handed over to kin
Rupani was among the 242 passengers and crew members on board the London-bound Air India flight AI-171 that crashed on Thursday. Authorities have handed over 33 bodies to the victims' families, officials said on Sunday. Ahmedabad, Jun 15 (PTI) Three days after the tragic crash of Air India flight AI-171 in Ahmedabad, which has so far claimed 270 lives, hospital authorities confirmed on Sunday the identification of 80 victims through DNA matching, including that of former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani. The Gujarat government has announced a state mourning for Rupani on Monday. His funeral procession will be held in Rajkot in the evening. The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed into a medical college complex moments after taking off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport at 1:39 PM on Thursday. So far 29 people are reported to have died in the disaster on the ground which includes five MBBS students. Only one person from the aircraft miraculously survived. 'A total of 80 plane crash victims have been identified so far through DNA matching. Of these, the bodies of 33 victims have been handed over to their respective families,' Additional Civil Superintendent Dr. Rajnish Patel told reporters. The victims whose mortal remains were handed over were from Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Kheda, Botad and other places. Of the 51 people injured in the incident, 38 have been discharged, while 13 are still undergoing treatment, said Dr. Patel, a professor of surgery at the government-run B J Medical College. According to Dr. Dhaval Gameti, president of the BJ Medical College Junior Doctors' Association, around 270 bodies were brought to Ahmedabad Civil Hospital from the crash site. State Relief Commissioner Alok Kumar Pandey told reporters that families of all 230 passengers who perished on the flight have been contacted. 'Members of only three deceased passengers are yet to give their DNA samples as they live abroad. They are expected to arrive tomorrow evening. Along with the mortal remains, we are also handing over death certificates to the kin so that they don't face any issues afterwards,' said Pandey. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is leading a thorough probe into the causes of the crash. Various Central and state government agencies, including the state police, are assisting the AAIB team at the crash site in Meghaninagar. Sources said the first meeting of a high-level multi-disciplinary committee formed by the Centre will be held on Monday in New Delhi. The committee, headed by Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan, is mandated to ascertain the 'root cause' of the plane crash and assess any contributing factors, including mechanical failure, human error, and regulatory compliances. The committee has been mandated to submit its report within three months. As part of the ongoing efforts, 230 teams have been formed to coordinate with the victims' families. Ahmedabad fire brigade officials said three delegations visited the crash site on Sunday including some foreigners to assist investigators. Meanwhile, Air India on Sunday said it is working closely with other Tata group companies to provide every possible assistance to the families and loved ones of the plane crash victims. The airline in a statement also said that over 400 family members have reached Ahmedabad and are being assisted by its teams on the ground. To assess the situation, P.K. Mishra, Principal Secretary to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, visited the crash site and Civil Hospital on Sunday. He was briefed on the sequence of events and interacted with the injured. State government officials apprised Mishra about the sequence of events leading to the disaster, which is the country's worst aviation accident in decades. After enquiring about the health of the injured, Mishra proceeded to the hospital's morgue area. 'I am very pained by the enormity of the tragedy. Everybody is sad. It is our duty to share grief and express our feelings for the victims,' Mishra told reporters. Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) Commissioner Banchha Nidhi Pani highlighted the crucial recovery of the black box, an essential component of the investigation. 'The black box recovery was a very important part of the investigation process…The AMC immediately acted and the black box was also recovered,' Pani said, noting its location in the tail end of the aircraft, which was embedded in a building. City Police Commissioner G.S. Malik also visited the accident site on Sunday morning. PTI PJT PD PR ACB IAS GK BNM SKL NSK This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
The Hindu
42 minutes ago
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Mortal remains of former Gujarat CM Rupani, over 40 victims identified through DNA profiling; Air India contacts relatives of all victims
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Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Hindustan Times
Air India crash probe panel set to meet today
A high-level government committee will hold its first meeting Monday to examine the Air India flight 171 crash that has claimed at least 271 lives, even as the first funerals of passengers killed aboard the Boeing 787 took place on Sunday while most grieving families continue an agonising wait for their loved ones' remains. The multi-disciplinary panel, chaired by the home secretary, is mandated to submit its report within three months and will focus on 'formulating Standard Operating Procedures for preventing such occurrences in the future,' people aware of the matter said, according to PTI. Also Read: Air India flight's 2nd black box recovered; cockpit voice recorder to aid probe The committee's formation comes as a separate technical investigation by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau continues at the crash site. 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'The AAIB has launched a detailed investigation, and the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is conducting a parallel probe under international protocols since the aircraft is American-made. Officials confirmed that the Flight Data Recorder (FDR) and Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) have been located and secured,' an official statement said. Ahmedabad Municipal Commissioner Banchhanidhi Pani said the debris of the plane were still at the spot and being examined by experts. 'The AAIB officials will tell us where it to be taken and when. The debris across the complex is being examined by the experts,' he said. Sunday marked the first cremations of plane passengers after their remains, charred beyond recognition, were returned to families through DNA matching. Earlier, eight bodies were handed over on Friday but these were of people killed in the hostel and surrounding areas whose remains did not require DNA identification. Families expressed growing frustration with both the identification timeline and airline response. Ali, whose brother was a passenger, said he understood the delay but criticised Air India's support efforts. 'With Air India, the next day after this accident they should have appointed whoever they needed to ensure everything is available to us,' he said, noting he was assigned a support person only Saturday—a day after providing his DNA sample. Air India CEO Campbell Wilson said in a video message Saturday that 'over 200 trained caregivers are now in place, with each family assigned dedicated assistance.' Recovery process Hospital authorities have deployed extensive resources for the identification process, with three forensic science laboratory teams analysing DNA samples from relatives of 250 plane passengers so far. The process involves matching tissue samples from bones and teeth of victims with blood samples from family members. The crash, which occurred Thursday afternoon just after take-off from Ahmedabad airport, represents India's worst single-aircraft disaster in history, and the deadliest in three decades. The London-bound flight carried 169 Indian, 53 British, seven Portuguese, and one Canadian passenger, along with 12 crew members. Only one person—British national Vishwash Kumar Ramesh—survived.
