More than 200 India plane crash victims identified
More than 200 victims of the Air India jet crash have been identified through DNA testing, Indian authorities said Wednesday, inching towards ending an agonising wait for relatives.
There was one survivor out of 242 passengers and crew on board the London-bound plane on Thursday when it slammed into a residential area of Ahmedabad, killing at least 38 people on the ground.
Distraught relatives have been providing DNA samples to help identify their loved ones, in a painstakingly slow process.
"As of 2 pm, 202 DNA (samples) have been matched," Harsh Sanghavi, home minister of Ahmedabad's Gujarat state, wrote on X.
The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner erupted into a fireball when it crashed moments after takeoff, with witnesses reporting seeing badly burnt bodies and scattered remains.
Indian authorities are yet to announce the cause of the crash and investigators from Britain and the United States have joined the probe.
Investigators are aiming to retrieve vital information from both black boxes recovered from the site -- the cockpit voice recorder and the flight data recorder.
India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau upgraded a laboratory this year where black boxes can be analysed.
Following the crash, the civil aviation regulator ordered inspections of Air India's Dreamliners.
Initial checks on the fleet "did not reveal any major safety concerns", the regulator said late Tuesday.
"The aircraft and associated maintenance systems were found to be compliant with existing safety standards," it said.
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Khaleej Times
19 hours ago
- Khaleej Times
More than 200 India plane crash victims identified
More than 200 victims of the Air India jet crash have been identified through DNA testing, Indian authorities said Wednesday, inching towards ending an agonising wait for relatives. There was one survivor out of 242 passengers and crew on board the London-bound plane on Thursday when it slammed into a residential area of Ahmedabad, killing at least 38 people on the ground. Distraught relatives have been providing DNA samples to help identify their loved ones, in a painstakingly slow process. "As of 2 pm, 202 DNA (samples) have been matched," Harsh Sanghavi, home minister of Ahmedabad's Gujarat state, wrote on X. The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner erupted into a fireball when it crashed moments after takeoff, with witnesses reporting seeing badly burnt bodies and scattered remains. Indian authorities are yet to announce the cause of the crash and investigators from Britain and the United States have joined the probe. Investigators are aiming to retrieve vital information from both black boxes recovered from the site -- the cockpit voice recorder and the flight data recorder. India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau upgraded a laboratory this year where black boxes can be analysed. Following the crash, the civil aviation regulator ordered inspections of Air India's Dreamliners. Initial checks on the fleet "did not reveal any major safety concerns", the regulator said late Tuesday. "The aircraft and associated maintenance systems were found to be compliant with existing safety standards," it said.
Khaleej Times
20 hours ago
- Khaleej Times
Video: Air India plane crash's lone survivor breaks down at brother's funeral
Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, the only known survivor of the horrific Air India plane crash on June 12, was travelling from Ahmedabad with his brother Ajay Kumar Ramesh. While Vishwash, who was seated near an emergency exit of the London-bound flight, managed to jump out, his brother was among the 241 passengers that did not survive. Ajay's funeral was held today in Diu, an Indian union territory. Heart-rending videos on social media show Ramesh at the funeral, carrying his brother's remains on his shoulders to the cremation ground. Vishwash is a British national — a native of Diu who is settled in the UK. The brothers had flown down to India to visit their family in Diu. Vishwash, who had sustained burn wounds from the crash, was discharged from the Ahmedabad Civil Hospital late on Tuesday night, and is still recovering from injuries, as seen in the funeral videos. #WATCH | Diu | Lone survivor of AI-171 flight crash, Vishwas Ramesh Kumar, mourns the death of his brother Ajay Ramesh, who was travelling on the same flight Vishwas Ramesh Kumar is a native of Diu and is settled in the UK. — ANI (@ANI) June 18, 2025 'Can't believe how I survived' Speaking from his hospital bed, the 40-year-old had told Indian media that he was travelling to Britain with his brother after visiting family in India. "When I got up, there were bodies all around me. I was scared. I stood up and ran. There were pieces of the plane all around me. Someone grabbed hold of me and put me in an ambulance and brought me to the hospital," Viswashkumar told the Hindustan Times. Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels. "Everything happened in front of me, and even I couldn't believe how I managed to come out alive from that," Ramesh said from his hospital bed on Friday, speaking in Hindi to national broadcaster DD News. "Within a minute after takeoff, suddenly... it felt like something got stuck... I realised something had happened, and then suddenly the plane's green and white lights turned on," Ramesh said. "After that, the plane seemed to speed up, heading straight towards what turned out to be a hostel of a hospital. Everything was visible in front of my eyes when the crash happened." Ramesh, aged 40, is from the British city of Leicester, according to Britain's Press Association news agency, which spoke with his family at home. "Initially, I too thought that I was about to die, but then I opened my eyes and realised that I was still alive," he said. "I saw the air hostess and aunties and uncles all in front of me," he said, his voice trailing off in emotion, using a term of respect used in India for older people. "I unfastened my seatbelt and tried to escape, and I did," he said. "I think the side I was on was not facing the hostel," he added. "Where I landed was closer to the ground and there was space too – and when my door broke -- I saw that there was space, and I thought I could try to slip out." "My left hand got slightly burnt due to the fire, but an ambulance brought me to the hospital," he said. "The people here are taking good care of me." Seat 11A of the aircraft Social media footage shown on Indian news channels showed Ramesh in a bloodstained white t-shirt and dark pants limping on a street and being helped by a medic. A photo of his boarding pass shown online by the Hindustan Times showed that he was seated in seat 11A of the plane bound for Gatwick Airport. His brother Ajay had been seated in a different row on the plane and asked for help to find him. "He was near the emergency exit and managed to escape by jumping out the emergency door," said Vidhi Chaudhary, a senior police officer in Ahmedabad. On June 12, the Air India aircraft came down in a residential area, crashing onto a medical college hostel outside the airport during lunch hour, in the world's worst aviation disaster in a decade. More than 290 people were killed in the crash. The dead included some on the ground.
Web Release
2 days ago
- Web Release
UAE Doctor Pledges AED 2.5 Million to Support Families of Medical Students and Doctors Killed in Air India Crash
UAE-based doctor and philanthropist Dr. Shamsheer Vayalil has announced AED 2.5 Million (?6 crore) in financial aid for the families of medical students and doctors affected by the Air India Flight 171 crash in Ahmedabad—an act of solidarity shaped by his own years spent in medical hostels and the deep personal resonance of the tragedy. The devastation unfolded on 12 June, when a Boeing 787 aircraft crashed into the hostel and mess blocks of BJ Medical College, killing four medical students, injuring dozens, and claiming the lives of family members of doctors residing on campus. The aircraft struck the Atulyam hostel complex during lunch hour, reducing student residences and the dining hall to rubble. Survivors described scenes of chaos, with books, belongings, and plates scattered amid the destruction. Among those killed were MBBS students Jaiprakash Choudhary from Barmer, Rajasthan; Manav Bhadu from Shree Ganganagar, Rajasthan; Aaryan Rajput from Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh; and Rakesh Diyora from Bhavnagar, Gujarat. All were in the early years of their medical journey, full of promise and purpose. As many as five family members of doctors were also killed in the tragedy. Announcing the relief from Abu Dhabi, Dr. Shamsheer, Founder and Chairman of Burjeel Holdings and Managing Director of VPS Health, said he was deeply shaken when he saw the aftermath of the crash. As someone who had once lived in similar hostels during his own medical education at Kasturba Medical College in Mangalore and Sri Ramachandra Medical College in Chennai, the images struck a chord. 'I saw the footage from the mess and the hostel, and it truly shook me. It reminded me of the places I once called home, the corridors, the beds, the laughter, the pressure of exams, and the anticipation of a call from family. No one expects a commercial aircraft to come crashing into that world,' he said. 'Those students started the day thinking about lectures, assignments, and patients. Their lives ended in a way none of us could ever imagine. It hit close. Too close.' Dr. Shamsheer's relief package includes ?1 crore for each of the four deceased students' families, ?20 lakh each for five seriously injured students, and ?20 lakh each for the families of doctors who lost loved ones. The financial assistance will be delivered in coordination with the Junior Doctors' Association at BJ Medical College, ensuring that those in need receive support swiftly. This is not the first time Dr. Shamsheer has responded to such a crisis. In 2010, following the Mangalore air crash, he provided financial assistance and employment opportunities to affected families at Burjeel Holdings, a leading healthcare provider in the Middle East. His humanitarian interventions have extended to natural disasters, public health emergencies, and displacement crises across India and the Gulf. But this, he said, felt personal in an entirely different way. 'These young men were part of the same fraternity I once belonged to. I know what it's like to stay up preparing for clinical exams, to crowd around a table in the mess hall, to walk into a hostel room after a tiring shift. That life builds not just doctors, but character. And to have that life stolen, so violently, so suddenly, is heartbreaking,' he said. Among the injured is third-year student Ritesh Kumar Sharma, who was trapped under debris for hours with severe leg injuries. Several of his friends were injured alongside him. Others watched helplessly as classmates were engulfed in the impact. Dr. Shamsheer emphasized that this support is not just financial, it is symbolic. It is a reminder that the medical community stands together, across generations and geographies. 'What happened cannot be undone. These students were preparing to serve others. Their memories must not fade into headlines. We must carry forward the dreams they didn't get to fulfill. It is shared responsibility,' he said. As BJ Medical College reels from the loss, displaced students and families are being temporarily relocated. Many have lost more than shelter, they have lost colleagues, belongings, and a sense of safety. The Junior Doctors' Association, which has been closely involved in supporting the affected students and families, is coordinating with authorities to facilitate assistance. Dr. Shamsheer's team will work alongside them to ensure the aid reaches those most in need in the coming days.
