Ahmedabad Civil Hospital Superintendent Dr. Rakesh Joshi on Thursday confirmed that 215 DNA matches have been successfully made in the aftermath of the tragic Air India AI-171 crash, with the mortal remains of 198 victims already handed over to their families.
Providing a breakdown of the victims, Joshi stated, “Of the 198 deceased whose bodies have been returned, 149 were Indian nationals, 32 British, seven Portuguese, and one Canadian. The remains of 15 were sent by air, while 183 were transported by road via ambulances.”
Earlier in the day, Ahmedabad Police Commissioner GS Malik also addressed the media, stating that a total of 222 victims had been identified — 214 through DNA analysis and eight by other means — and all bodies have been returned to families.
Malik further added that while police are assisting with the identification process, technical aspects of the investigation — such as black box analysis — are being handled by aviation experts and other central agencies.
Meanwhile, Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu conducted a high-level virtual review with Airport Directors nationwide to assess preparedness in light of recent challenges including flight rescheduling due to accident-related inspections, weather disruptions, and airspace closures amid geopolitical tensions.
According to a Civil Aviation Ministry release, key directives were issued to improve passenger support systems. These include better coordination with airlines to resolve issues promptly, ensuring availability of food and water during delays, sufficient seating in terminals, and deployment of adequate staff at high-traffic areas to address grievances effectively.
The Air India AI-171 tragedy occurred on June 12 when the London-bound Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed into the hostel complex of BJ Medical College in Ahmedabad’s Meghani Nagar shortly after takeoff from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. Of the 242 people onboard, 241 lost their lives, including former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani.