AHMEDABAD : Three days after the deadly crash of an Air India flight outside Ahmedabad international airport left more than 270 people dead, authorities have so far identified 42 victims through DNA testing, and handed over the bodies of 14.

“From 9 PM last night to 1 PM, our teams have worked tirelessly to match DNA samples. We are pleased to report that an additional 22 DNA samples have been matched, bringing the total to 42 matched DNA samples so far,” Gujarat Home Minister Harsh Rameshbhai Sanghavi  told media.

The process of DNA matching of former Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani, who also died in the June 12 plane crash, has been completed, he confirmed. 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.

Providing updates during a press briefing at noon today, Dr. Rajneesh Patel, Additional Superintendent of Civil Hospital, Ahmedabad, said that the identification process is being handled with the utmost sensitivity and scientific precision.

“The handover of remains is taking place only after DNA confirmation to avoid any margin of error,” he stressed.

The victims identified so far were from different places in Gujarat and Rajasthan, according to officials. The victims whose remains have been handed over to the families include: 4 from Ahmedabad, two from Vadodara, four from Mehsana, one each from Kheda, Aravalli, Botad and Udaipur.

To assist the bereaved families of the victims, the state government has deployed dedicated support teams for each deceased individual. These three-member teams—comprising a senior administrative officer, a police officer, and a trained professional counsellor—are working closely with families, providing emotional, logistical, and procedural support.

All but one out of the 242 people onboard, including crew and passengers were killed in addition to at least 29 people on ground as Air India flight AI171- a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner en route to London Gatwick, nosedived minutes after take off, crashing into the students hostel of the B. J. Medical College in the Meghaninagar neighbourhood.

Promotional | Subscribe KRC TIMES e-copy