Plane crash: 31 victims identified, search for Rupani’s remains continues
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Kalpesh Bhai, whose 14-year-old brother was killed when an Air India plane crashed into a neighborhood, wails outside the autopsy room of a hospital, Ahmedabad, June 13, 2025. (AP Photo)
Ahmedabad: Authorities at Ahmedabad’s Civil Hospital have confirmed the identification of 31 victims of the devastating plane crash that occurred on June 12, through DNA testing. Of these, 12 bodies have already been handed over to their respective families.
The DNA verification process remains underway for the remaining victims, including former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, whose identity has not yet been confirmed.
Addressing the media on Sunday, Dr Rajnish Patel, Additional Director of Medical Services at Civil Hospital, stated, “DNA matches of 31 individuals have been completed, and they have been identified. Out of these, 12 bodies have already been sent back to their hometowns, including Udaipur, Vadodara, Kheda, Kushinagar, and Ahmedabad.”
He added that several families are yet to come forward to collect the remains of their loved ones, and results for the remaining victims, including Rupani, are still awaited.
“There has been no match so far for former Chief Minister Vijay Rupani. As soon as a match is found, the concerned authorities and his family will be informed,” Dr Patel confirmed.
In addition to the identification efforts, 13 individuals are currently undergoing treatment for injuries sustained in the crash.
The massive task of identifying victims is being conducted by forensic teams from the state Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) and the National Forensic Sciences University (NFSU), working around the clock to provide closure to grieving families. The process has become especially challenging due to the severely burned and unrecognisable condition of many of the bodies.
The tragic incident occurred on June 12, when a London-bound Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad airport. The aircraft lost control and went down in a densely populated area near Civil Hospital and B.J. Medical College, resulting in the deaths of more than 260 people, including passengers and local residents.
One passenger miraculously survived, walking away with injuries. The crash caused massive destruction in the vicinity, particularly damaging medical hostels and buildings nearby. As a safety measure, hundreds of postgraduate resident doctors and their families were evacuated from the affected structures.
In response to the disaster’s scale, the government has deployed 164 specialised teams, including medical experts, trauma specialists, and administrative personnel, across B.J. Medical College, the Trauma Centre, and postmortem units. These teams continue to work with urgency and care to manage relief efforts, recovery operations, and the identification of victims.
With IANS inputs
