Ahmedabad: Authorities on Sunday announced that so far, 14 families of those killed in the devastating Ahmedabad plane crash have collected the mortal remains of their loved ones after identification through DNA testing at the City Civil Hospital.
Many have expressed gratitude towards the administration for conducting the process smoothly and with dignity.
Authorities confirmed on Sunday that the DNA of 32 victims of the tragic crash has been successfully matched with their relatives, and 14 families have already collected the remains.
Dr Rajnish Patel, Additional Director of Medical Services at the Civil Hospital, informed the media, “The Air India plane had crashed, and out of the passengers we received, the DNA of 32 individuals has matched with their relatives. All 32 families have been contacted, and they have taken the bodies as per their convenience. 14 families have already collected the mortal remains of their loved ones.”
As the search and recovery operation continues following the Air India Boeing Dreamliner 787-8 crash in Ahmedabad, three more bodies were recovered, including that of a young woman believed to be a flight crew member.
Her body was found trapped in the aircraft’s tail section, which had crashed into the B.J. Medical College mess area. Rescue teams used iron cutters to retrieve the body from the wreckage. Two more charred bodies were recovered from nearby rooftop debris, bringing the official death toll to 270.
Following the DNA verification process, remains are being handed over to families at the newly established post-mortem unit of the Civil Hospital.
One of the bereaved, Heer Prajapati, whose mother Kalpanaben Prajapati died in the crash, said, “We were informed about the process of receiving the mortal remains peacefully. The government and the civil hospital provided support. After the DNA report was verified, we received a call. Following the completion of documentation yesterday, we received the death certificate this morning, and the authorities arranged ambulance service with full police protocol.”
Another grieving family member, who had come from Jodhpur, shared, “Our relative, Khushboo Rajpurohit on board the flight. As soon as we were informed, we came from Jodhpur. We received a message that this incident had happened, so we came here immediately. The administration is carrying out everything smoothly and making sure we do not face any trouble.”
Among the deceased were nine people from Mehsana district, including five from Visnagar. After DNA confirmation, four of those victims’ bodies were returned to their families. Visnagar saw an outpouring of grief as bodies arrived in the town for final rites.
“After the DNA test, when the DNA of four out of five people was matched, the dead bodies of four people — Dinesh Patel, Krishnaben Patel, Dashrath Bhai Patel and Dahi Goriben Patel — were handed over to their families,” stated Visnagar Sub-Divisional Magistrate Devang Rathore.
The catastrophic crash took place on June 12, shortly after a London-bound Air India Dreamliner took off from Ahmedabad airport. The aircraft lost control and crashed into a densely populated area near the Civil Hospital and B.J. Medical College, resulting in massive destruction and loss of life.
In the aftermath of the crash, hundreds of postgraduate medical residents and their families were evacuated from damaged hostel buildings in the vicinity as a precautionary measure.
Recognising the scale of the tragedy, the government has mobilised 164 teams, comprising medical professionals, trauma specialists, and administrative personnel, deployed across B.J. Medical College, the Trauma Centre, and various post-mortem units.
(IANS)
