Tragic Air India Plane Crash: 220 Victims Identified, Investigation Underway
Identification of Victims Following the Crash
In the aftermath of the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad, authorities have confirmed the identities of 220 victims through DNA analysis, as reported on Friday. As of 11:50 AM, the Civil Hospital Superintendent, Rakesh Joshi, stated that the remains of 204 individuals have been returned to their families.
This count includes two individuals who passed away while receiving medical care at the Civil Hospital.
The tragic incident occurred on June 12 when Air India’s Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, bound for London’s Gatwick airport, crashed just 33 seconds after takeoff. This disaster is being regarded as the most severe aviation incident in a decade.
The aircraft was carrying 242 passengers, with one individual surviving despite suffering from impact injuries.
Additionally, 34 people lost their lives on the ground when the plane struck a hostel building associated with BJ Medical College and Hospital in Ahmedabad, as confirmed by Air India.
According to Superintendent Joshi, among the identified victims, 168 were Indian nationals, 36 were British, seven were Portuguese, and one was Canadian. Furthermore, 11 individuals who were not on the flight but were in the vicinity of the crash site also perished.
Fifteen of the deceased were transported by air, while the remaining 189 were sent via road.
Meanwhile, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau of India is still deliberating on whether to send the flight data and cockpit voice recorders from the crashed aircraft abroad for further examination, as stated by the Ministry of Civil Aviation on Thursday.
The decision will be made after a thorough evaluation of all technical, safety, and security factors.
This clarification comes after various media outlets suggested that the recorders would be sent overseas for analysis.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation has urged all parties involved to avoid speculation regarding such sensitive issues and to allow the investigation to proceed with the necessary seriousness and professionalism.
N Chandrasekaran, chairman of the Tata Group, mentioned on Thursday that one of the engines on the crashed Air India plane was newly installed in March, while the other was put in place in 2023 and was not scheduled for servicing until December. He assured that both engines had clean maintenance records.