Ahmedabad plane crash: 87 victims identified by DNA tests, 47 bodies handed over to kin

Ahmedabad, Jun 16: Four days after the horrific crash of an Air India plane in Ahmedabad claimed 270 lives, 87 victims have so far been identified through DNA matching and 47 bodies have been handed over to their families, officials said on Monday.

Authorities are carrying out DNA tests to establish the identity of the victims since many of the bodies were charred beyond recognition or damaged otherwise after the plane crash on June 12.

“Till now, 87 DNA samples have been matched, and 47 bodies have already been handed over to the respective families. These deceased were from different parts of Gujarat, such as Bharuch, Anand, Junagadh, Bhavnagar, Vadodara, Kheda, Mehsana, Arvalli and Ahmedabad districts,” additional civil superintendent Dr Rajnish Patel told reporters.

The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner with 242 persons on board crashed into a medical college complex in Ahmedabad moments after taking off from the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport at 1.39 pm on June 12.

While 241 persons on board the London-bound aircraft died, one passenger miraculously survived.

Besides, 29 persons are reported to have died in the disaster on the ground, which includes five MBBS students.–(PTI)