Ahmedabad: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday said, “The entire nation is grieving and is standing with the bereaved families,” after visiting the crash site of Air India flight AI-171 in Ahmedabad. The London-bound flight crashed on Thursday afternoon shortly after take off, carrying 242 people, including 230 passengers and 12 crew members.
Shah said the crash was reported to the central government within 10 minutes of the incident. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also contacted him quickly and urgent discussions were held with Gujarat Chief Minister, State Home Minister and Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu to begin rescue operations immediately.
DNA tests will confirm identities of deceased, says Amit Shah
According to Shah, the aircraft had 230 passengers and 12 crew members on board. While most people are feared dead, he said, “There is some good news for one survivor. I met the survivor personally.”
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He added that due to the high amount of fuel, nearly 1.25 lakh litres, on board the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and the intense fire caused by the crash, the chances of survival were extremely low. “Because of the high temperature from the burning fuel, there was no chance of saving anyone else,” Shah said.
Rescue teams from the NDRF and other emergency services have almost completed the retrieval of the bodies. Shah informed that DNA samples of all the recovered bodies and their relatives are being collected.
“Around 1,000 DNA tests will be conducted, including for the relatives of passengers from foreign countries,” he said. Only after the DNA verification will the bodies be handed over to the families.
The Home Minister said that all departments from both central and state governments are working in coordination. “We have reviewed every aspect in the meeting today. The Aviation Minister has instructed that the investigation should be carried out quickly and thoroughly,” he added.
How the crash took place
The London-bound Air India flight had taken off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport at 1.38 pm. Minutes later, the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed into a residential and institutional area in Meghaninagar, damaging the hostel mess of BJ Medical College and killing at least three students.
Around 50-60 MBBS students were injured, according to Dr Dhaval Gameti, president of RDA BJ Medical College and vice-president of FAIMA. Most injured students are in stable condition at Civil Hospital, but 4-5 are still missing. A few students remain critical in the ICU and HDU.
Former Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani among deceased
The crash also claimed the life of former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, who was among the 242 people on board. President Droupadi Murmu expressed her sorrow, calling it “utterly devastating.” She added, “The country has also lost Vijay Rupani in the tragedy. He was always committed to public welfare.”
Air India confirmed that 242 people were on board, including 230 passengers and 12 crew members. The nationalities of the passengers were – 169 Indians, 53 British nationals, 7 Portuguese, and 1 Canadian. One person is reported to have survived. A mayday call was made shortly after takeoff, and the aircraft lost contact with air traffic control soon after.
The Federation of All India Medical Associations (FAIMA) expressed deep sorrow over the loss of medical students, confirming that relatives of 3-4 senior doctors are also missing. One doctor’s wife has been confirmed dead.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi called it a “heartbreaking tragedy”, adding that he is in constant touch with central and state officials to ensure all help is being provided. British PM Keir Starmer also expressed condolences to the families affected.
Helpline numbers issued
Air India has released a 24×7 helpline number – 1800 5691 444 – for families of passengers. Officials are coordinating DNA tests to identify victims. Around 1,000 DNA samples are expected to be collected, especially since the fire from nearly 1.25 lakh litres of jet fuel made many bodies unrecognizable.
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) will lead the investigation. Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu and Home Minister Amit Shah visited the site and held a detailed review meeting. Shah said that the retrieval of dead bodies is nearly complete, and all bodies will be handed over to families after proper DNA confirmation.
