Ahmedabad : One week after the tragic Air India flight AI-171 crash in Ahmedabad that claimed 270 lives, authorities have identified 211 victims through DNA matching, with 189 bodies returned to their families, according to a senior official.
Dr. Rakesh Joshi, medical superintendent at Ahmedabad Civil Hospital, reported on Thursday morning that 211 DNA samples had been successfully matched. Of the 189 bodies handed over, 142 were Indian nationals, 32 were British citizens, seven were Portuguese, and one was Canadian, he told reporters.
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The devastating crash occurred on June 12, when the London-bound Boeing 787 Dreamliner, carrying 242 passengers and crew, plummeted into a medical complex shortly after takeoff. Only one passenger survived, while 241 on board and approximately 29 people on the ground perished. The intense heat and damage at the crash site have complicated identification efforts, necessitating extensive DNA testing.
Authorities continue to work diligently to match remaining DNA samples and ensure all victims are identified, as families await closure in one of India’s deadliest aviation disasters.