Air India crash: DNA testing helps identify 31 victims
What's the story
Authorities in Ahmedabad have identified 31 victims of the recent Air India plane crash using DNA testing, an official confirmed on Sunday.
So far, 12 families have claimed the remains of their loved ones. The identification process is crucial, as many bodies are charred beyond recognition or severely damaged.
The former Gujarat Chief Minister, Vijay Rupani, who perished in the June 12 incident, has yet to be identified.
Identification progress
Victims from Gujarat, Rajasthan
Dr Rajnish Patel, Additional Civil Superintendent and Professor of Surgery at the government-run BJ Medical College, told reporters that the identified victims hailed from various districts in Gujarat and Rajasthan.
"Thirty-one DNA samples have matched till now, and 12 bodies have already been handed over to the respective families," he said.
These deceased were from Udaipur, Vadodara, Kheda, Mehsana, Ahmedabad, and Botad districts, he added.
Assistance efforts
Teams formed to assist families of victims
Reportedly, 230 teams were formed to assist the families of the crash victims.
The tragic incident claimed the lives of 241 out of 242 passengers and crew members on board a London-bound flight, along with another 29 people on the ground, including five MBBS students. One passenger survived miraculously.
The Boeing 787-8 (AI171) aircraft crashed shortly after takeoff from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad.
Crash details
Rupani's identification process ongoing
The aircraft fell on the campus of a nearby Medical College in Meghaninagar area and caught fire.
Former CM Rupani was among the passengers killed in this unfortunate tragedy.
The DNA matching process for Rupani is still ongoing, Dr Patel added.
The Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) on Friday recovered a Digital Video Recorder (DVR) from the wreckage on Friday.