
Confusion deepens over death toll in Ahmedabad plane crash; officials silent
AHMEDABAD: No official death toll has been declared yet in the AI-171 crash, but a civil hospital doctor on Saturday confirmed receiving 270 bodies.
The Air India flight carried 242 passengers—only one, Vishwas, survived. So far, identities of four doctors and nine civilians have been confirmed, while 272 DNA samples have been collected, indicating 18 remain untraced.
As the government continues to withhold an official death toll in the Ahmedabad plane crash, discrepancies have begun to emerge. On Saturday, Dr. Dhaval Gameti of Civil Hospital revealed to the media that 270 bodies had been Recived — a figure that sharply contrasts with the official silence.
This raises serious questions, considering the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner carried 242 passengers and crew, including 169 Indians, 53 Britons, 7 Portuguese, and 1 Canadian.
Adding to the toll, at least 13 local residents, including four medical students, died when the aircraft came down in a densely populated area of Ahmedabad.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


News18
2 hours ago
- News18
'God Saved Me': Gujarat Doctor Cancels Air India London Flight Ticket That Later Crashed
Last Updated: It was his wife who first insisted he not travel while sick and urged him to cancel the flight. A doctor from Gujarat narrowly escaped tragedy and is now overwhelmed with gratitude toward his wife and family for persuading him to cancel his June 12 Air India flight to London. According to an NDTV report, Dr Umang Patel, a UK-based medical professional residing in Northampton for the past five years, had returned to his ancestral home in Koydam village in Gujarat's Mahisagar district on May 24 along with his wife, children, and their grandparents. While the family was meant to stay on, Patel had booked a solo return ticket for June 12. 'I had to go back alone on June 12. However, I developed high fever after a visit to my in-laws' house on June 9. The fever was so high I could not even stand the next morning," he was quoted as saying to NDTV. It was his wife who first insisted he not travel while sick and urged him to cancel the flight. Patel recalled that after his wife urged him not to travel in his unwell condition, he cancelled his June 12 ticket, decided to rest, and rebooked his flight for June 15, only to later learn that the June 12 flight had crashed. 'God saved me. I also pray that God gives peace to all the souls who were on that aircraft." The NDTV report added that the near-miss left many villagers shaken. Neighbors visited the Patel family home to offer prayers and moral support, grateful that tragedy had been averted. First Published: June 16, 2025, 09:03 IST


New Indian Express
4 hours ago
- New Indian Express
No clarity yet on identity of 18 Air India crash victims
AHMEDABAD: Days after the horrific AI-171 air crash here, there is still no clear word on the toll and identity of the deceased. While the ill-fated Air India plane had 242 on board, one passenger survived the crash into the campus of the BJ Medical College and Civil Hospital in Ahmedabad. On Saturday, the president of the Junior Doctors' Association of the college, Dr Dhaval Gameti, said 270 bodies had been received at the Civil Hospital. However, 272 DNA samples have been collected so far. That figure includes 13 others — nine local residents and four medical students. Who were the 18 other victims (272 - [241 + 13])? There is no clarity.


Indian Express
10 hours ago
- Indian Express
Uncle of couple who died in Air India plane crash questions delay in handover of bodies
The uncle of Harshit and his wife Pooja, who died in the plane crash in Ahmedabad on June 12, raised questions over the delay in handover of bodies of the victims during a press conference on Sunday. Rohit Patel told The Indian Express that he was looking for a pharmacy when he saw a huge crowd at the entrance of Ahmedabad's 1,200-bed hospital on the opposite side of the Mortuary Complex at Medicity, and he could not help but ask questions regarding the 'delay' as three days had passed since Air India flight AI 171 crashed in Meghaninagar area of Ahmedabad shortly after take-off on June 12. Patel said his family members, who are from Kapadvanj but live in Nadiad city of Kheda, stayed back in Ahmedabad since the day of the crash, hoping to claim the bodies of Harshit and Pooja, who lived in the UK. The couple had come to Ahmedabad earlier this month for a medical procedure and were on their way back to the UK when their flight crashed. Patel raised the question in front of a panel of Relief Commissioner Alok Pandey, Additional Medical Superintendent Dr Rajnish Patel and Additional Commissioner ( for Sector-2 of Ahmedabad City Police Jaypalsingh Rathore. He said he found a little gap behind the table, near which the officials, were seated and utilised it to ask as to how long the family had to wait to get the bodies of the young couple. Answering his question, Dr Rajnish said, 'Please come here only after you get a phone call. We (doctors) and the FSL are trying to do (finish procedure) as fast as possible, but please understand there are a lot of sample. Checking each (sample) carefully takes a lot of time — usually three-four days. In this situation, it is very difficult to manage. You please stay at home. We will call you and handhold you through the entire procedure.' Speaking to The Indian Express after the press conference, the uncle said, 'My brother Anil Patel and our entire family is distraught. They had said they would hand over the bodies today (Sunday), but now they are saying it will take more time. There are a lot of processes to be completed even after taking possession of the body.' Notably, while one of the two bodies of the family has been identified, there is no confirmation about another. Patel said that they want to take both the bodies home, together. During a press conference on Sunday evening, Relief Commissioner Pandey said, 'We have managed to get in touch with all the 230 families of the passengers aboard the aircraft. Relatives of three of the deceased passengers are arriving in Ahmedabad tomorrow (June 16).' However, he did not confirm if the families of the 12 crew members had been contacted. Notably, the body one air hostesses was only retrieved from the tail section of the aircraft on June 14 — almost 48 hours after the crash. Dr Rajnish said that till 5.30 pm on Sunday, a total of 47 DNA matches had been confirmed and 44 of the relatives were contacted and asked to come to receive the bodies of the deceased. Further, a total of 24 bodies had been effectively handed over to families. However, by, 11 pm, the situation had changed. In a video, Dr Rajnish said, 'A total of 80 DNA samples were matched. A total of 33 bodies have been handed over to the families, and two more will receive bodies later in the night; and 13 more will be handed over (to families) on June 16 (Monday) morning. Further, 21 more families will arrive to take the bodies.' Dr Rajnish further said, 'Eleven families have lost more than one person. They are awaiting the DNA results of all family members before taking them.' Of the deceased whose bodies had been handed over, 12 are from Ahmedabad, 5 from Vadodara, Mehsana (4), Anand (4), Bharuch (2), Kheda (2), Botad (1) and Aravalli (1). Further, onebody each belonged to families from Udaipur and Jaipur in Rajasthan. According to the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC), 33 families had been handed over death certificates of deceased. During the press conference earlier in the day, Pandey had said that teams from the treasury department were working on inquest reports and insurance claims and trying to sort matters with the deceased's families as soon as possible. Pandey also said that relatives who had submitted DNA samples should ideally come to receive the bodies of the victims, adding that if that is not possible, then another relative must show proof of relationship (with victim) to claim the bodies, once identified. Pandey and Dr Rajnish said that they could not confirm the final death toll of the crash before the DNA tests for all victims were completed. Of the 51 injured people who had been admitted to Ahmedabad Civil Hospital, 13 were under treatment on Sunday.