Aftermath of Ahmedabad Plane Crash: Mass DNA Identification Underway

Over a week after the devastating plane crash in Ahmedabad that resulted in the deaths of 270 individuals, authorities have identified 220 victims through DNA profiling. A Gujarat minister revealed on Friday that the remains of 202 victims have been returned to their families.

The tragedy unfolded when a London-bound Air India flight AI-171, carrying 242 passengers and crew members, crashed in Ahmedabad on June 12. The crash claimed the lives of all but one passenger on board and killed nearly 29 people on the ground after the aircraft collided with a medical complex in the Meghaninagar area shortly after take-off.

The identification process involves matching DNA samples as many bodies were severely charred or damaged. "To date, 220 DNA samples have been successfully matched, and the families of these victims have been contacted," announced Rushikesh Patel, the health minister and spokesperson for the Gujarat government. Of the 202 identified victims, 160 were Indian nationals, including 151 passengers, along with seven Portuguese, 34 British nationals, and one Canadian. Patel also noted that while the remains of 15 victims were transported by air to their destinations, 187 were sent by road. This extensive exercise followed the collection of samples from 250 individuals, both from the ill-fated flight and victims on the ground.

(With inputs from agencies.)