Ahmedabad: As grief grips the nation following the tragic crash of an Air India Boeing 787 shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, authorities are stepping up efforts to identify the victims through DNA analysis.
Forensic teams have been deployed at the crash site and are working tirelessly to collect DNA from the charred remains of the deceased. The process is seen as essential in helping families find closure after the devastating loss. Most of the bodies were severely burned, making visual identification impossible.
According to the Press Trust of India (PTI), distraught relatives have begun arriving at local hospitals and morgues, many volunteering saliva or blood samples to aid the identification process. Officials have said priority is being given to cases where preliminary identification has been made via personal items or documents found on the scene.
Police have confirmed that few victims have been identified and their remains handed over to family members. Inspector Chirag Gosai reported that 215 families have so far come forward to submit DNA samples for comparison.
“The process is painstaking, but necessary,” said Gosai. “We are doing everything we can to ensure families receive their loved ones.”
Rescue workers and volunteers described a harrowing scene, with a fireball engulfing the residential neighbourhood where the plane crashed. As the search for more bodies continues, only one of the two black boxes has been found.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the crash site on Friday and later held a high-level review meeting at the GujSail building with Gujarat government officials. He also met survivors receiving treatment at local hospitals and assured full government support.
Air India and state authorities have pledged comprehensive assistance to the victims' families, including help with transportation, lodging, and psychological counselling.
As the nation watches with sorrow and solidarity, the recovery operation continues — with teams racing against time to bring answers and comfort to the hundreds of families affected by this tragedy.
