Gujarat health dept confirms 275 as final toll of deadly Air India crash

An official death toll had not been released until now, with authorities stating that identification of victims would only be possible after DNA testing was completed

The Gujarat health department on Tuesday confirmed the loss of 275 lives in the recent Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner crash in Ahmedabad. That number includes 241 passengers and crew members on board the aircraft, as well as 34 individuals who were on the ground when the crash occurred, reported NDTV.

 

The fateful aircraft crashed into the ground only seconds after take-off on June 12 en route to London. No official death toll had been released until now, with authorities stating that identification of victims would only be possible after DNA testing was completed.

 

State government officials said that all the bodies have now been recovered. Of the total death count, 266 victims have been identified so far, while 256 bodies have been handed over to the families. Two hundred and sixty bodies were identified through DNA analysis and six using facial recognition techniques, the report added. The victims included 120 men, 124 women, and 16 children. Identification of the remaining bodies is still underway.

 

A flight that lasted only seconds 

An Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, flying non-stop to London, crashed less than a minute after taking off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad on June 12. Part of the aircraft came down on a students’ hostel complex within the premises of B J Medical College in the Meghani Nagar locality.

 

Among those killed in the crash was former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, who had been travelling on the ill-fated flight. 

 

In response to safety concerns following the accident, Air India Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director Campbell Wilson recently assured both the public and the airline’s staff that its fleet — including the Boeing 787s — has undergone thorough inspections and remains safe for operation. He added that the airline is taking all necessary precautions in light of the AI171 crash.

 

Meanwhile, Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu on Tuesday stated that the aircraft’s black box is still in India and is being examined by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau. He dismissed rumours suggesting that the data recorder would be sent abroad for analysis.