New Delhi: In the aftermath of the devastating Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad, forensic teams face the grim task of identifying bodies that were burnt beyond recognition. Traditional identification methods have been rendered impossible and experts have turned to dental records and nail samples to confirm the identities of the deceased, News 18 reported.
The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, operating as Flight AI-171 from Ahmedabad to London, crashed shortly after takeoff on June 12, killing 241 of the 242 people on board. The aircraft went down into a densely populated area and slammed the doctors’ hostel of the BJ Medical Hospital. It ignited a massive blaze. The intensity of the fire due to the fuel has left most bodies completely charred.
Dental records are being used to identify bodies
Teams of forensic experts now turn to dental records, DNA from fingernails and blood samples as no such tool of identification, namely, names, faces and belongings do not survive. The ill-fated flight AI-171 was headed to Gatwick airport in London, with 241 people on board. There were 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, 23 Portuguese and 1 Canadian on board the flight.
Shortly after the takeoff on June 12, the pilot gave a “Mayday” distress call and soon after the aircraft crashed into the doctors’ hostel near the airport.
Rescue operations underway
Debris was spread across a 1.5-kilometer radius, with rescue teams describing a nightmare scene of fire, smoke, and unrecognizable remains. “You can’t identify these bodies visually. “They are shadows,” said a rescue official. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), BSF, and local firefighters worked for hours to extinguish the fire and recover bodies from the rubble.
According to a News18 report, efforts for the identification of the bodies rely heavily on forensic odontology. Teeth samples are being extracted and collected, which are being sent to high security labs for further investigation. With many bodies burned so severely that fingerprints are rendered useless, DNA is being extracted from fingernails and blood as a backup.
“The process will take another 48 to 72 hours,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police Kanan Desai, who added that every effort is being made to maintain dignity and accuracy. Reports also indicate, a shortage of O-negative blood, stretches in its supply and carts that were being used to carry remains from the crash zones to the ambulances.
