Air India Crash: 211 Victims Identified, 189 Bodies Returned

Ahmedabad, Jun 19 (PTI) A week following the tragic crash of an Air India flight in Ahmedabad, efforts to identify the victims continue. Authorities have so far successfully identified 211 victims via DNA matching, with 189 bodies having been returned to their families, an official reported on Thursday. The calamity occurred when the London-bound Air India flight AI-171, with 242 passengers and crew members on board, collided with a medical complex shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad airport on June 12. The crash resulted in the death of everyone on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner except one, alongside 29 individuals on the ground.

Due to the severe damage and charring of many bodies, DNA testing is being conducted to confirm identities. "As of Thursday morning, we have matched 211 DNA samples and handed over 189 bodies to their families," stated Dr. Rakesh Joshi, the medical superintendent of Ahmedabad Civil Hospital. The victims whose bodies have been returned include 142 Indian citizens, 32 British nationals, seven from Portugal, and one Canadian. Additionally, the remains of seven individuals who perished on the ground have been given to their relatives, Joshi added.