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Air India crash: 47 victims identified via DNA; 24 bodies handed over
Three days after an Air India flight bound for London crashed in Ahmedabad, authorities have identified 47 victims through DNA testing. Of these, 24 bodies have been handed over to their families, according to an official statement issued on Sunday.
'We have established contact with the next of kin/relatives of all passengers and crew members, expressing our condolences and helping them with the next steps. Over 400 family members have reached Ahmedabad and are being assisted by our teams on the ground,' Air India said in a statement on social media site X.
'Every affected family in Ahmedabad has been assigned at least one caregiver by Air India. Air India is working closely with other Tata Group companies to provide every possible assistance to the families and loved ones of those deceased, which remains our number one priority,' the airline added.
Authorities are conducting DNA tests to confirm the identities of the deceased, as several bodies were either burned or damaged.
'A total of 47 plane crash victims have been identified so far through DNA matching. Of these, bodies of 24 victims have been handed over to the respective families. These deceased were from Rajasthan and different parts of Gujarat,' said Additional Civil Superintendent Dr Rajnish Patel.
Gujarat Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi on Sunday stated that former Chief Minister Vijay Rupani was among the individuals who died in the Air India Flight AI171 crash in Ahmedabad. His identity was verified through DNA matching.
All but one of the 242 passengers and crew on board the Boeing 787-8 (AI171), along with 29 people on the ground, including five MBBS students, died in the crash on Thursday.
The aircraft crashed into a medical college campus in Meghaninagar shortly after taking off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport at 1:39 p.m.
The crash site was sealed on Saturday following the conclusion of rescue operations. Investigations are ongoing, with teams from the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau, Boeing and other civil aviation authorities inspecting the area. One of the plane's black boxes has been recovered.
As of 14 June, Air India reported that it had completed safety checks on nine of its Boeing 787 aircraft and aimed to finish inspections on the remaining 24 within the timeline set by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation.
Air India also announced an interim payment of ₹25 lakh, approximately £21,000, to each family of the deceased and the lone survivor. This is in addition to the ₹1 crore (approximately £85,000) support announced earlier by Tata Sons.
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Business Standard
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Families of Air India crash victims decry delay in recovery efforts
Just one of two flight data "black boxes" have been recovered by investigators, and most victims' identities are still awaiting DNA testing Bloomberg Relatives of people feared dead or missing after last week's crash of an Air India Boeing Co. 787 jet have become frustrated by a lack of information about the cause of the disaster and slow-moving recovery operations. Just one of two flight data 'black boxes' have been recovered by investigators, and most victims' identities are still awaiting DNA testing. A final death toll is still pending, with 80 of the dead having been positively identified through DNA samples and 33 bodies turned over to grieving relatives, according to a report from the Press Trust of India. 'We're expediting the DNA matching process to hand over the bodies to their respective relatives,' Dr. Rajnish Patel, an official with a local hospital in Ahmedabad, said Sunday. 'We're trying our best to facilitate the process and bring closure to the families.' Aviation authorities have been combing through the wreckage of Air India flight AI171 to determine why the aircraft lost momentum shortly after takeoff Thursday and plunged into a densely populated residential area in the western city of Ahmedabad. All but one of the 242 people aboard were killed, along with an untold number of victims on the ground at the crash site. Students of the B.J. Medical College were having lunch in their hostel dining hall when the jet loaded with fuel smashed into the building and exploded. Many family groups have gathered at the site, anxiously seeking more details about the accident and word about the whereabouts of loved ones. Payal Tushar Thakur, a young woman in her late 20s, said she's still waiting for news about her mother, who was working at a canteen at the medical college. 'We're poor, so no one seems to care about keeping us informed,' said Payal, her voice cracking with emotion. 'We're in shock, unable to eat or drink. Who needs compensation when we've lost our loved ones?' Air India will be paying the equivalent of roughly 21,000 British pounds ($28,500) to each of the families of the deceased and to the survivor, the carrier said. This is in addition to the some 85,000 British pounds announced by Air India owner Tata Sons. 'No choice' Muhammed Owess, 35, flew from Australia upon learning of the tragic loss of his sister-in-law, Nusrat Jahan, in the crash. Despite the challenging circumstances, Owess expressed a measure of satisfaction with response and outreach efforts by the airline and government. But his deceased relative has yet to be identified with DNA matching. 'We have no choice but to wait, given the magnitude of the tragedy,' he said. To facilitate the DNA sampling process, local officials said 12 teams are working in shifts, conducting DNA testing around the clock. But some of the collection efforts have been chaotic, with local news website Mint reporting the remains of more than one person were found in a single body bag. The Gujarat state health department has deployed over 855 health personnel, including 100 healthcare workers, at a trauma center near the crash site. The team includes regular hospital staff and supplementary manpower specifically deployed for emergency response. Counseling support also has been provided to the affected families to help them cope with their loss. 'Determining the total death toll will take time,' Alok Kumar Pandey, the Gujarat government's commissioner of relief, said Sunday. 'We kindly request your patience as we work diligently to identify the victims and notify their families.' Experts from Boeing and the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau, as well as several civil aviation authorities, have surveyed the location. Efforts by some of those directly impacted to learn more have been frustrated by the slow trickle of information being released by the government. India's aviation ministry has held only one press briefing since the crash. Ambulances have been shuttling remains to a mortuary complex near the site of the crash. On Sunday it was crowded with anxious families eagerly awaiting news about their loved ones. A steady stream of dignitaries, including local ministers and senior police officers, have visited the site to pay their respects and promise to help with search and recovery efforts. 'We've been waiting for over 72 hours for any news,' said Rohit Patel, who lost his nephew and niece-in-law in the crash. 'I'm inundated with calls from my family and community, asking for updates. What am I supposed to tell them?'
Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Hindustan Times
'Went inside with oxygen masks, tied hands with wet clothes to lift bodies': SDRF official on Air India crash
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Mint
an hour ago
- Mint
Air India crash: 80 victims identified via DNA tests; 33 bodies handed over to kin three days after tragedy
Three days after the crash of the London-bound Air India flight AI-171 in Ahmedabad, which has claimed 270 lives so far, hospital authorities confirmed on Sunday that 80 victims have been identified through DNA matching, including former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani. Officials also stated that 33 bodies have been handed over to the victims' families. Rupani was among the 242 passengers and crew members on board. 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 BJ 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. The first meeting of a high-level multi-disciplinary committee formed by the Centre will be held on Monday in New Delhi, according to sources. 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. 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. 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 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 GS Malik also visited the accident site on Sunday morning.
