AI 171 plane crash: 256 bodies handed over to families, 259 identified

AHMEDABAD(Gujarat): The Ahmedabad Civil Hospital has handed over the bodies of 256 victims of the Air India AI 171 flight crash to the families, and has identified over 259 victims, according to medical superintendent Rakesh Joshi.

Dr Joshi said that a total of 253 Datch results have come in, including 240 passengers and 13 non-passengers.

“A total of 253 DNA sample results have come in at 7 pm on June 23. Out of these, 240 are passengers and 13 are non-passengers. If I talk about day one, a total of 19 non-passengers were identified, out of them 6 deceased bodies were handed over to their families based on their facial recognition, while 13 were handed over by DNA matching. With this, 253 plus six, which was through facial matching, that total is 259 and out of that, 256 bodies were handed over till today,” the medical superintendent told ANI on Sunday.

Giving a breakdown of passengers who have been returned to their families, he added, “These 256 include 180 from India, 19 non-passengers and 49 Britishers…7 Portuguese, and 1 Canadian. Out of this 256, 28 were transferred through air and 228 by road.”

The doctor also said that all the 52 British passengers on the plane have been identified, with 49 of them sent back and 3 left while being packed up and ready for transport.

On June 12, a London-bound Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed into a hostel complex of BJ Medical College in the Meghani Nagar area of Gujarat’s Ahmedabad shortly after takeoff from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport.

Former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani was among the passengers who died in the plane crash.

Two days ago, Air India CEO and Managing Director Campbell Wilson reassured the public and employees that the airline’s fleet–particularly its Boeing 787 aircraft–remains safe to operate following comprehensive checks and that the carrier is exercising maximum caution in the wake of the AI171 tragedy.

In an official communication, Campbell said, “Have our aircraft been deemed safe? Yes. We have completed the additional precautionary checks on our operating Boeing 787 fleet as requested by the DGCA, who have publicly declared that they meet required standards.”

Notably, on June 21, Air India reiterated that it stands in solidarity with the families of the victims and informed that a central helpdesk set up by the airline company, which has been active since June 15, has been assisting families in processing claims for the interim compensation of Rs 25 lakh to the families of each of the deceased and to the survivor, to help address immediate financial needs. (ANI)