Air India crash: Students & doctors suffered Rs 2.69 cr in losses, Gujarat govt to raise claim
Separately, Dr. Rakesh Joshi, superintendent of the Ahmedabad Civil Hospital, told reporters that DNA samples of 208 deceased had been matched by Wednesday evening. Until now, 173 bodies were handed over to the families.
In a statement Wednesday, the Gujarat government said that it is in the process of filing a police complaint about the same and that 'the state will claim compensation from Air India for hostel and property damages.'
Mumbai: Ninety-seven medical students and junior doctors of the B.J.Medical College suffered a cumulative personal loss of Rs 2.69 crore as the Air India flight AI-171 crashed into the hospital's hostel building in Ahmedabad.
'Fourteen more families are expected to come soon to receive the mortal remains of their loved ones,' Dr. Joshi said.
The Boeing 787 Dreamliner was carrying 242 passengers, including 12 crew members. Of these, only one passenger, a British national of Indian origin, miraculously escaped without any major injuries, while the rest died in the crash. Most of the bodies were damaged beyond recognition, necessitating DNA tests.
Medical students and young doctors were having their lunch in the hostel mess when the plane tore into the hostel mess. The crash killed four MBBS students who were having lunch, while another 20 sustained injuries.
Further, the plane crash also killed four family members of super speciality doctors residing in the Atulyam building. Additionally, the wife of one resident doctor was also injured.
173 bodies handed over to families, so far
Giving a breakdown of the bodies handed over to the families, Dr. Joshi said 131 are Indian citizens, four are Portuguese, 30 are British nationals, and one is Canadian. Six others were not passengers on board the aircraft, but were casualties as the plane crashed at a site that had eight buildings, including the hostel building, residential buildings and a canteen.
While there is still no official record of the toll as several bodies were recovered in parts, Dr. Dhaval Gameti, president of the junior doctors' association at the B.J.Medical College, had on Saturday pegged the number at 270.
In its statement Wednesday, the Gujarat government said the crash had injured 71 who were rushed to the hospital within a few hours of the disaster and given treatment. Six were OPD patients, while 65 needed hospital care.
One of the injured died on the day of the crash itself (12 June, Thursday). Later, two others died Sunday and Tuesday. Of the remaining 68 injured, 49 have been discharged while 19 remain under treatment. Seven are admitted to the Ahmedabad Civil Hospital, while the rest are in private hospitals.
(Edited by Tony Rai)
Also Read: The crash, the rescue & aftermath—Inside the first 36 hours at ground zero of Air India crash
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