Key Points

Responding to media queries regarding a report in the Daily Mail on the Air India crash in Ahmedabad last month, Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that all mortal remains were handled with utmost professionalism and with due regard for the dignity of the deceased.

"We have seen the report and have been working closely with the UK side from the moment these concerns and issues were brought to our attention. In the wake of the tragic crash, the concerned authorities had carried out identification of victims as per established protocols and technical requirements. All mortal remains were handled with utmost professionalism and with due regard for the dignity of the deceased. We are continuing to work with the UK authorities on addressing any concerns related to this issue," Jaiswal said.

https://x.com/MEAIndia/status/1947965097235874040

The Daily Mail had said two instances of mistaken identity had come to light, there are apprehensions that more such errors could have been made.

The report said that in one case, relatives of one victim had to abandon funeral plans after being informed that their coffin contained the body of an unknown passenger rather than their family member. In another case, 'commingled' remnants of more than one person killed in the crash were mistakenly placed in the same casket, the report said.

The London-bound Air India AI-171 flight, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, crashed shortly after takeoff from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on June 12, killing 260 people. The aircraft crashed into the BJ Medical College hostel complex in Ahmedabad's Meghani Nagar area.

A week after the incident, the Ministry of Civil Aviation released new draft rules to tighten control over structures that pose a risk to aircraft safety. The draft, titled Aircraft (Demolition of Obstructions) Rules, 2025, was issued on June 18.

The rules aim to give authorities the power to take prompt action against buildings and trees that exceed height limits in designated aerodrome zones. This is seen as a proactive step to prevent potential accidents caused by obstructions in flight paths.

Ahmedabad Police and district health department authorities had last month confirmed the identification of most of the bodies through DNA sampling, and the bodies were handed over to the respective families.

According to Rakesh Joshi, Medical Superintendent of the Civil Hospital, 254 victims were identified through DNA matching and six through facial recognition.

"I can say that a total of 254 DNA matches were done, all identified and handed over. Six were identified through facial recognition, and they were also handed over. So, a total of 260 bodies were identified and handed over to their family members," Rakesh Joshi said, adding that 241 of the deceased were passengers and 19 were non-passengers.

- ANI