Air India investigators give huge crash update but warn 'process continuing'
The horrific crash in Ahmedabad killed 241 passengers, including 52 British nationals.
Indian investigators have identified 247 victims of the horrific 12 June Ahmedabad plane crash using DNA testing and have returned 232 bodies to their families thus far. Families of eight other passengers have been asked to provide DNA samples from other relatives after initial samples failed to match.
The crash of the Air India jet in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, which occurred shortly after takeoff from the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, killed 270 people. In total, 241 passengers and crew onboard the Boeing Dreamliner plane were killed. The only survivor was a British passenger sitting in seat 11A.
Ahmedabad Civil Hospital Medical superintendent, Dr Rakesh Joshi, said: “Till Saturday evening, 247 DNA samples have matched. Relatives of these deceased were contacted. So far, the mortal remains of 232 victims have been handed over to families. The process is continuing.”
As many as 187 of the identified victims were Indian, while 52 were British, seven Portuguese, and one Canadian.
Dr Joshi said the families of eight victims have been contacted to give DNA samples from different relatives after their initial samples failed to match.
“Unless there is a match, bodies cannot be handed over to the kin. When there is no match for a longer period of time, you can ask for another sample from another relative. If one sibling has given the sample, then a sample of another sibling is sought for matching the DNA with that of the victim,” he said.
“We generally prefer a sample of a father, son, or daughter. If not, then we take a sample of another available member,” he went on.
Meanwhile, India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has warned Air India that it may suspend or revoke the airline's licence after ordering the removal of three staffers for "repeated and serious violations" related to pilot staffing.
The regulatory body cited "systemic failures in crew scheduling, compliance monitoring, and internal accountability" for its decision. DGCA has said that any future violation of crew scheduling norms, licensing, or flight time limitations will attract "strict enforcement action".
According to the Hindustan Times, DGCA ordered an immediate removal of Choorah Singh, divisional vice president of the Integrated Operations Control Centre (IOCC), Pinky Mittal, chief manager-DOPS, crew scheduling and Payal Arora, crew scheduling-planning, from all roles related to crew scheduling and rostering.
