2 days ago
Ahmedabad Air India plane crash: Bodies wheeled into hospital with severe burns, seatbelts still on
Ahmedabad Civil Hospital's trauma centre saw severely burnt bodies coming in, many of which were beyond identification, following the Air India plane crash.
Dr Pranjal Modi, director of the Institute of Kidney Diseases and Research Centre, located on the hospital campus, told The Indian Express that even the survivors, who were unconscious, had suffered severe burns. It is not yet clear whether the survivors are from the flight or from the site where the plane crashed.
'Most of the patients (crash victims) are seriously injured… they are not identifiable, faces are burnt, their skin is burnt to a great extent… they are unconscious. Our priority is to help them survive', said Dr Modi, who was attending to the families of the victims.
About difficulties in identification, he said, 'Several patients still had seatbelts on; how does one examine their pockets for identities?'
Relatives who had come from districts like Anand and other places in Gujarat to bid goodbye to their family members on the ill-fated flight, which was bound for London, waited anxiously at the hospital for news of their loved ones.
Among them was Trupti Soni, an Ahmedabad-based entrepreneur, whose brother Swapnil Soni, his wife Yoga, and sister-in-law Alpa Soni were on the flight.
'I am waiting here at the hospital, and there is no news about them yet,' Trupti told The Indian Express. The Ahmedabad Civil Hospital, where she was waiting, is the largest public hospital and also close to the airport.
Her family members were to visit her elder brother, who is based in London, and then proceed on a holiday.
The Gujarat government has announced helpline numbers – 079-232-51900 and 9978405304 – for news related to the crash.
