Plane crash: 31 victims identified, search for Vijay Rupani’s mortal remains continues

Ahmedabad: DNA tests have confirmed the identities of 31 victims killed in the catastrophic plane crash in Ahmedabad, and 12 of the bodies have already been handed over to their families, authorities at Civil Hospital reported on Sunday.

The DNA verification process continues for the remaining bodies, including that of former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, whose identity has not yet been confirmed through testing.

“The DNA matches of 31 individuals have been completed, and they have been identified. Out of these, 12 bodies have already been sent back to their respective hometowns, including Udaipur, Vadodara, Kheda, Kushinagar, and Ahmedabad,” said Dr Rajnish Patel, ADMS at Civil Hospital, while addressing the media.

“We are still waiting for other families to come forward to collect the remains of their loved ones. The DNA results for the rest are still awaited,” he added.

Dr Patel confirmed that DNA testing for former CM Vijay Rupani is still ongoing.

“There has been no match so far. As soon as a match is established, the concerned authorities and family will be informed,” he stated.

He also noted that 13 people are currently undergoing treatment for injuries sustained in the crash.

The mammoth identification exercise is being handled by forensic teams from the state Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) and the National Forensic Sciences University (NFSU), who are working tirelessly to help families find closure.

The process has become essential due to the severely burned and unrecognisable condition of many of the bodies.

The tragic crash occurred on June 12, shortly after a London-bound Air India Boeing Dreamliner 787-8 took off from Ahmedabad airport.

The aircraft lost control and crashed into a densely populated area near Civil Hospital and B.J. Medical College, killing over 260 people — comprising both passengers and residents on the ground.

One passenger survived the crash, walking away with injuries. The crash caused enormous destruction in the vicinity, particularly to the medical hostels in the area.

As a precaution, hundreds of postgraduate resident doctors and their families were evacuated from the damaged buildings.

In response to the scale of the disaster, the government has deployed 164 teams, including medical experts, trauma specialists, and administrative staff, across B.J. Medical College, the Trauma Centre, and the postmortem units.

Authorities are operating around the clock to carry out relief, recovery, and identification operations with sensitivity and urgency.

IANS