The death toll in the Ahmedabad Air India plane crash rose to 270 on Saturday, as bodies continued to be recovered from the wreckage site. The fatal incident occurred on Thursday afternoon, when a London-bound Boeing 787 Dreamliner (AI 171) crashed shortly after takeoff, slamming into a medical hostel and canteen complex in the Meghaninagar area of the city.
According to Dr Dhaval Gameti, President of the Junior Doctors Association of BJ Medical College, “Around 270 bodies have been brought to the civil hospital so far from the plane crash site.” Identification of the victims is underway using DNA samples, and the bodies will be handed over to their families after verification.
The plane was carrying 242 passengers and crew members. Officials confirmed that 241 of them perished, while one passenger miraculously survived. Additionally, victims on the ground accounted for the rest of the casualties.
Centre Forms High-Level Committee; Multiple Agencies Involved in Probe
In response to the tragic crash, the Union government has established a high-level multi-disciplinary committee led by the Union Home Secretary to investigate the causes and recommend ways to prevent such disasters. The Civil Aviation Ministry clarified that this committee will not substitute the ongoing investigations but will focus on drafting Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for future aviation safety, with a report expected in three months.
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The investigation is being carried out by several agencies including the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), Ahmedabad Crime Branch, and local police. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) also visited the site on Friday, while National Security Guard (NSG) commandos have been deployed to assist in the ongoing operations. NSG, however, does not have investigative powers and is only aiding with relief and logistics.
According to Additional Chief Fire Officer Jayesh Khadia, new remains were found during rescue operations: “Our firemen, who are helping forensic and aviation experts in their ongoing investigation at the crash site, found some body parts from the canteen’s rubble on Friday, while a body was found today morning.”
The tail fin of the aircraft, which got lodged on top of the canteen building, is being carefully removed using cranes. “We will start the work of removing the tail fin from the building and bring it on the ground once Air India officials arrive at the site,” Khadia added.
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Meanwhile, student hostels affected by the crash are being vacated to facilitate the probe. Minakshi Parikh, Dean of BJ Medical College, stated, “The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau wants to probe (the air crash). For this, Atulyam 1, 2, 3, and 4 have been vacated or are being vacated. We have made an alternative arrangement for post-graduate students residing there.”
