Authorities in Gujarat on Tuesday confirmed that 259 of the 260 bodies recovered from the site of the June 12 Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad have been identified. The ill-fated flight, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner en route to London’s Gatwick Airport, crashed moments after takeoff, resulting in the deaths of 241 of the 242 individuals on board.
Rakesh Joshi, Superintendent of Ahmedabad Civil Hospital, said the identified victims include 240 passengers and 19 non-passengers. “DNA test result of one passenger is still awaited,” he added. The current death toll is slightly lower than the initial estimate of 270, but officials have maintained caution in declaring a final figure. “The crash site is still being cleared. Unless we are certain that no additional victims are going to be found, we cannot confirm the final death toll,” Joshi said.
Of the 256 bodies handed over to families, 253 were identified through DNA matching while six were recognised through facial identification. All 52 British nationals on board have been identified, with 49 bodies repatriated to the United Kingdom and the remaining three prepared for transport.
The Air India aircraft crashed into a hostel complex of the BJ Medical College in the Meghani Nagar area of Ahmedabad shortly after departure from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. Only one passenger survived. Among those who perished was former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani.
In a statement issued on Sunday, Air India CEO and Managing Director Campbell Wilson reaffirmed the safety of the airline’s Boeing 787 fleet. “We have completed additional precautionary checks on our operating Boeing 787 fleet as requested by the DGCA. The aircraft have been deemed safe and meet the required standards,” Wilson said.
(ANI)