 "Air India plane crash: According to Captain Steve, the pilots may have accidentally retracted the flaps instead of the landing gear during the initial climb, a move he described as 'a tragic mistake.' AFP")
Authorities have confirmed the identities of 32 victims from the Air India AI171 plane crash through DNA testing, officials said on Sunday (June 15), as the death toll from the disaster rose to 250.
Twelve of the matched bodies have been handed over to family members, while authorities continue to await the arrival of relatives of the others to collect the remains, Dr Rajneesh Patel, additional superintendent of Ahmedabad Civil Hospital, told reporters.
“A special team has been allocated for each family of the deceased,” Patel said. “The team includes a senior officer, a police official and a professional counsellor to ensure that the handover process is conducted with dignity.”
Former Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani’s death confirmed
Gujarat Home Minister Harsh Sanghvi confirmed on Sunday that the DNA of former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani matched around 11:10 am local time. Rupani was among the 241 people killed in the crash of the Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner, which went down shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad airport on June 12.
“Former Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani lost his life during the Air India crash in Ahmedabad on 12th June. Today, at around 11:10 a.m., his DNA has matched. He worked for the people of the state for several years,” Sanghvi told reporters.
The aircraft, operating as flight AI171 to London’s Gatwick Airport, was carrying 242 people, including 230 passengers, 10 crew members and two pilots. Only one survivor has been confirmed so far.
Earlier on Sunday, hospital officials also confirmed the deaths of four medical students from BJ Medical College, raising the official death toll to 250. Authorities have not provided further details on the identities of the remaining victims as the identification process continues.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsInvestigations into the cause of the crash are ongoing, with India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation and the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau involved in the probe
With inputs from agencies