AHMEDABAD: In the grim aftermath of the Meghaninagar plane crash in Ahmedabad, authorities have confirmed that DNA samples of 99 deceased individuals have been matched so far.
By 9.30 am on June 16, a total of 64 bodies had been handed over to their grieving families, according to Ahmedabad Civil Hospital's surgical department.
Addressing the press this morning, Dr. Rajneesh Patel, Professor of Surgery at Civil Hospital, detailed the painstaking identification efforts launched after Air India’s London-bound AI171 flight crashed on June 12.
The horrific tragedy led to a massive multi-agency operation to identify victims through DNA testing, as many bodies were charred beyond recognition.
Dr. Patel stated that 87 DNA samples were finalised after removing duplications. Out of these, 47 victims' mortal remains have been handed over to their families across districts, including Ahmedabad, Kheda, Botad, Mehsana, Bharuch, Aravalli, Vadodara, Junagadh, Anand, Mahisagar, Gandhinagar, and Bhavnagar.
Currently, 13 bereaved families are present at Ahmedabad Civil Hospital, receiving the remains of their loved ones. Another 8 families are expected to arrive within the next two hours to claim the bodies of their relatives.
However, the identification process is not yet complete. Dr. Patel added that 12 families are still awaiting DNA confirmation of their kin. Once the results are in, those remains will also be handed over.
Meanwhile, discussions are going on with 11 families and they expected to come forward to claim the bodies of their relatives once they are emotionally prepared.
To ensure the process is handled with care and respect, the state government has appointed dedicated support teams for each deceased individual.
These teams include a senior officer, a police official, and a professional counsellor, working closely with families throughout the handover process. This coordinated and humane effort underlines the government’s commitment to ensuring that each victim is identified with clinical precision and handed over to their families with dignity.
(With inputs from PTI)