Ahmedabad: Three days after a London-bound Air India plane crashed in Ahmedabad, authorities on Sunday, June 15, announced that so far, 47 victims have been identified through DNA testing and bodies of 24 have been handed over to their families at the City Civil Hospital.
“These deceased were from Rajasthan and different parts of Gujarat,” Additional Civil Superintendent Dr Rajnish Patel told reporters.
As many of the bodies were burnt beyond recognition or damaged otherwise, authorities are carrying out DNA tests to establish the identity of victims of the horrific tragedy.
Many have expressed gratitude towards the administration for conducting the process smoothly and with dignity.
Air India crew member’s body recovered
As the search and recovery operation continues following the Air India Boeing Dreamliner 787-8 crash in Ahmedabad, three more bodies were recovered, including that of a young woman believed to be a flight crew member.
Her body was found trapped in the aircraft’s tail section, which had crashed into the BJ Medical College mess area. Rescue teams used iron cutters to retrieve the body from the wreckage. Two more charred bodies were recovered from nearby rooftop debris, bringing the official death toll to 270.
One of the bereaved, Heer Prajapati, whose mother Kalpanaben Prajapati died in the crash, said, “We were informed about the process of receiving the mortal remains peacefully. The government and the civil hospital provided support. After the DNA report was verified, we received a call. Following the completion of documentation yesterday, we received the death certificate this morning, and the authorities arranged ambulance service with full police protocol.”
Another grieving family member, who had come from Jodhpur, shared, “Our relative, Khushboo Rajpurohit on board the flight. As soon as we were informed, we came from Jodhpur. We received a message that this incident had happened, so we came here immediately. The administration is carrying out everything smoothly and making sure we do not face any trouble.”
Among the deceased were nine people from Mehsana district, including five from Visnagar. After DNA confirmation, four of those victims’ bodies were returned to their families. Visnagar saw an outpouring of grief as bodies arrived in the town for final rites.
“After the DNA test, when the DNA of four out of five people was matched, the dead bodies of four people — Dinesh Patel, Krishnaben Patel, Dashrath Bhai Patel and Dahi Goriben Patel — were handed over to their families,” stated Visnagar Sub-Divisional Magistrate Devang Rathore.
The catastrophic crash took place on June 12, shortly after a London-bound Air India Dreamliner took off from Ahmedabad airport. The aircraft lost control and crashed into a densely populated area near the Civil Hospital and BJ Medical College, resulting in massive destruction and loss of life.
All but one of the 242 passengers and crew on board and another 29 persons, including five MBBS students, on the ground were killed.
In the aftermath of the crash, hundreds of postgraduate medical residents and their families were evacuated from damaged hostel buildings in the vicinity as a precautionary measure.
Recognising the scale of the tragedy, the government has mobilised 164 teams, comprising medical professionals, trauma specialists, and administrative personnel, deployed across BJ Medical College, the Trauma Centre, and various post-mortem units.
Follow on Twitter | Posted by Sameer Khan | 
