Ahmedabad plane crash: 220 victims identified, 202 bodies handed over to families
Over a week after 270 people were killed in the
Ahmedabad plane crash
, 220 victims have been identified through
DNA tests
, and the mortal remains of 202 of them were handed over to their families, a Gujarat minister said on Friday.
A
London-bound Air India flight
AI-171 carrying 242 passengers and crew members crashed in Ahmedabad on June 12. All but one on board the plane died along with nearly 29 on the ground when the aircraft smashed into a medical complex in Meghaninagar area of the city shortly after its take-off.
Authorities are carrying out DNA matching to establish the identity of the victims, as several bodies were charred beyond recognition or damaged.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
Play War Thunder now for free
War Thunder
Play Now
"So far, 220
DNA samples
have been matched, and relatives of these victims were contacted. The mortal remains of 202 victims have already been handed over to their kin. The process to identify more victims is underway," said Rushikesh Patel, the health minister and the Gujarat government's spokesperson.
Also Read:
Air India fares fall across key routes
Live Events
These 202 individuals include 160 Indians, of whom 151 were passengers, seven Portuguese nationals, 34 British nationals and one Canadian, said Patel on X.
While the mortal remains of 15 victims were sent to their respective destinations by air, 187 were transported by road, the minister added.
The
state government
had earlier said that samples of 250 victims, including persons on board the ill-fated flight as well as those killed on the ground, were collected for identification.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
21 minutes ago
- Time of India
China-Russia trust erodes as Beijing's hackers go rogue, launch cyberattacks to steal Ukraine war secrets
China hackers target Russia despite alliance, seeking war secrets and battlefield data- China hackers targeting Russia have raised serious concerns as multiple cyberattacks linked to Chinese state-sponsored groups have reportedly breached Russian military and defense systems since the Ukraine war began. Despite public declarations of friendship between Moscow and Beijing, cyber analysts say the Chinese government has been actively spying on Russian technologies, including nuclear submarines, drone systems, and battlefield tactics. The breach highlights a growing undercurrent of distrust and strategic intelligence gathering even among so-called allies. Cyber groups tied to Beijing—like APT27 and APT31—are believed to be behind these stealthy operations, using phishing emails and malware to infiltrate sensitive Russian networks. Why are China hackers targeting Russia amid growing friendship? Despite a publicly strong relationship between China and Russia, cybersecurity experts say China hackers have been quietly breaching Russian systems since May 2022 — just months after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. These hacking attempts have continued steadily, with Chinese-linked groups digging into Russia's defense and military data. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Air conditioners without external unit. (click to see prices) Air Condition | Search Ads Search Now Undo According to cybersecurity researchers from TeamT5, one group named Sanyo impersonated a Russian engineering firm's email to seek data on nuclear submarines. The intention behind these cyber intrusions appears to be collecting information about Russia's battlefield operations, modern warfare tactics, and Western weapon technologies seen in Ukraine. Che Chang, a TeamT5 researcher, stated, 'China likely seeks to gather intelligence on Russia's military operations, defense progress, and geopolitical strategies.' This information could help China boost its own military readiness for future conflicts — particularly in regions like Taiwan, which remains a hotbed of geopolitical tension. Live Events What exactly did China's hackers target in Russia? According to cybersecurity researchers at SentinelLabs and Recorded Future, Chinese Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) groups , including APT27 (Emissary Panda) and APT31 (Zirconium) , have been aggressively targeting: Russian military contractors Government departments involved in defense R&D Email servers and document archives linked to Ukraine war planning The hackers reportedly used spear-phishing campaigns , spoofing Russian Ministry of Health notices to plant malware into classified internal systems. One malware strain, called PlugX , known for remote access and data exfiltration, was flagged in these Russian environments—previously used by China in espionage campaigns across Southeast Asia and the Middle East. What kind of information are Chinese hackers after in Russia? The China hackers targeting Russia campaign has been aimed at extracting sensitive military intelligence, especially battlefield-tested insights. Russian defense firms, including Rostec , were among the major targets. Cyber experts from Palo Alto Networks revealed that Chinese hacking groups have sought data on radar systems, satellite communications, drone warfare, and electronic warfare technology. Another method used by these hackers involved Microsoft Word-based malware files, which exploited software vulnerabilities to breach aviation and defense sectors. One particularly dangerous tool spotted in these attacks was Deed RAT , malware considered 'proprietary' among Chinese state-sponsored groups. According to Russian cybersecurity firm Positive Technologies, this malware has been used to attack Russian aerospace, security, and military sectors. Though Russian authorities have not officially acknowledged these attacks, a leaked classified document from Russia's FSB — the domestic security agency — described China as an 'enemy,' confirming internal concerns about Chinese espionage. While China and Russia continue to cooperate publicly, including military drills and joint diplomatic efforts, cyber experts say Beijing has long pursued a "friend-but-watcher" strategy . This means China often spies on both allies and adversaries to: Gauge battlefield conditions in Ukraine Evaluate Russia's military capabilities and vulnerabilities Shape its own geopolitical strategies, including Taiwan preparations According to Recorded Future, China increased cyber-espionage targeting Russia by 87% since early 2023 , focusing particularly on regions near Ukraine and Crimea . Who are the major Chinese hacking groups involved? Several well-known Chinese hacking groups have been identified by cybersecurity teams as being behind these operations. Mustang Panda , one of China's most active state-backed cyber espionage groups, expanded its activities after the war in Ukraine began. TeamT5 and Sophos researchers found that Mustang Panda targeted Russian government agencies and military officials — particularly near the China-Russia Siberian border. According to Rafe Pilling from Sophos, the group's operations often follow China's political or economic interests. 'Wherever China invests — whether West Africa, Southeast Asia, or Russia — Mustang Panda follows with targeted hacking,' said Pilling. He and U.S. intelligence sources believe Mustang Panda operates under the Chinese Ministry of State Security. The group even drew attention from American law enforcement. In January, the U.S. Justice Department indicted individuals tied to Mustang Panda for infecting thousands of systems worldwide, including government networks and devices used by Chinese dissidents. Another Chinese hacking group, Slime19 , has been consistently attacking Russia's energy, government, and defense infrastructure, according to TeamT5's Chang. Has China broken its cybersecurity pact with Russia? In 2009 and 2015, China and Russia publicly agreed not to hack each other's systems. However, analysts have long viewed those agreements as symbolic, lacking enforcement or trust. The evidence emerging since Russia's invasion of Ukraine proves that those deals hold little practical weight. The FSB document accessed by The New York Times shows that Russian intelligence views China's digital espionage as a serious threat. China, while outwardly cooperative with Russia in forums and bilateral trade, appears unwilling to rely on Moscow for open sharing of battlefield learnings. Instead, cyber intrusions have become the preferred route for collecting war data. 'The war in Ukraine shifted the priorities of both countries,' said Itay Cohen from Palo Alto Networks. 'Even though the public narrative was one of close ties, in reality, espionage increased.' How is Russia reacting to these cyber intrusions? Thus far, the Kremlin has not officially condemned China, possibly to avoid diplomatic fallout. However, anonymous Russian cybersecurity sources have told investigative outlet iStories that internal firewalls have been tightened and communications protocols are under review. The Federal Security Service (FSB) reportedly issued an internal memo warning of 'unusual East Asian-origin threats' in mid-2024. Still, no public attribution has been made. This silence may signal Russia's reluctance to publicly challenge China at a time when it faces intense pressure from NATO and the West. What does this mean for future China-Russia relations? While China remains one of Russia's most crucial trade partners — especially with the West largely isolating Moscow — the depth of China hackers targeting Russia reveals a fragile foundation beneath this alliance. The relationship, often described by Presidents Xi and Putin as a 'no-limits' partnership, is evidently full of limits when it comes to trust. China's hunger for military intelligence, especially regarding real-time warfare experience, is pushing it to take bold steps. For China, Russia's war offers a rare, real-world military case study that it can't afford to ignore — especially with tensions rising in the Taiwan Strait. Cyber intrusions are likely to continue, if not grow. As Russian officials stay silent and Chinese hackers grow more sophisticated, the digital battlefield between these two "allies" is already active — and evolving quickly. FAQs: Q1: Why are China hackers targeting Russia during the Ukraine war? To secretly collect Russian military intelligence and battlefield data. Q2: Who is Mustang Panda in the China hacking campaign? Mustang Panda is a top Chinese state-backed hacking group targeting Russia.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Gaza rescuers say Israeli forces kill 60, half near aid centres
Gaza's civil defence agency said 31 Palestinian aid seekers were among at least 60 people killed Friday by Israeli forces, the latest in a string of deadly incidents near aid distribution sites. Civil defence spokesman Mahmud Bassal told AFP that five people were killed while waiting for aid in the southern Gaza Strip and 26 others near a central area known as the Netzarim corridor, an Israeli-controlled strip of land that bisects the Palestinian territory. Thousands of Palestinians have gathered there daily in the hope of receiving food rations, as famine looms across Gaza after more than 20 months of war. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 한포진 퍼지기 전에 꼭 관리하세요. (+경험담) 바른정보 Undo The Israeli army told AFP that its troops in the Netzarim area had first fired "warning shots" at "suspects" approaching them. When the individuals continued advancing, "an aircraft struck and eliminated the suspects in order to remove the threat," the army said. Live Events Similar incidents have occurred in that area regularly since late May, when the US- and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation opened its distribution centres, as Israel eased a two-month aid blocakde. The privately run foundation's operations in Gaza have been marred by chaotic scenes. UN agencies and major aid groups have refused to cooperate with it over concerns it was designed to cater to Israeli military objectives. Elsewhere in the territory on Friday, Bassal said 14 people were killed in two separate strikes in and around the central city of Deir el-Balah, and 13 others in three Israeli air strikes in the Gaza City area. One of those strikes, which killed three people, hit a phone charging station in the city, Bassal said. In southern Gaza, two people were killed "by Israeli gunfire" in two separate incidents, he added. Israeli restrictions on media in the Gaza Strip and difficulties in accessing some areas mean AFP is unable to independently verify the tolls and details provided by the civil defence agency. The armed wing of Palestinian miliant group, Al-Quds Brigades , said on Friday it had targeted an Israeli military post in the southern city of Khan Yunis, claiming "dead and wounded" Israeli troops as a result. Contacted by AFP, the Israeli military did not comment. Much of Khan Yunis, like vast areas across Gaza, is under Israeli military evacuation orders.
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
Akash to BrahMos: How indigenous firepower redefined the India–Pakistan equation following Operation Sindoor
India's response to the 7 May Pahalgam terror attack , which killed 26 civilians, was swift and strategically calculated. Operation Sindoor was launched to dismantle terrorist infrastructure across Pakistan and PoJK. It also pushed back Pakistani retaliation and inflicted damage on key military facilities. 'We achieved, I would say, almost 100% of what we set out to do,' Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh told ANI in an exclusive interview. Singh said the operation was driven by deep coordination between the armed forces and intelligence agencies. 'This particular operation was characterised by tremendous tri-service synergy, as well as synergy with the intelligence agencies,' he said. Nine high-priority targets were struck with precision on the first night, following fifteen days of intensive planning and surveillance. Play Video Pause Skip Backward Skip Forward Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration 0:00 Loaded : 0% 0:00 Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 1x Playback Rate Chapters Chapters Descriptions descriptions off , selected Captions captions settings , opens captions settings dialog captions off , selected Audio Track default , selected Picture-in-Picture Fullscreen This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Text Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Caption Area Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Drop shadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Walgreens Hides This Cheap 87¢ Generic Viagra from Seniors – Here's Why fridayplans Learn More Undo India assumes strategic control of conflict escalation Operation Sindoor wasn't just a retaliation. It was designed to send a broader message—that India now controls the escalation ladder. 'We will decide the time and place. We are not leaving it to the terrorists to decide time and place,' Singh said. This, he explained, is part of a shift toward 'escalation dominance'. Live Events 'The surprise is always on the side of the terrorist,' he said. 'But by establishing this escalation dominance on our side, we are ensuring that they should realise that there will be a response… time, place, everything – would be in our hands.' India's strategy is no longer reactive. It is calibrated and forward-looking. Indigenous weapons took centre stage Operation Sindoor was also a showcase of India's maturing defence technology. Singh emphasised how Indian systems played a central role. 'We were using a mix of foreign-origin and indigenous weapons effectively. And the indigenous weapons that were used did very well, and BrahMos, in fact, was probably, you could even call it a game changer,' he said. Singh highlighted the effectiveness of the Akash missile system and the retrofitted air defence units used to counter drones and low-flying aircraft. 'Indian origin weapons, some of them worked very well. I mean, BrahMos did amazing. Akash also did very well,' he said. He added that Indian forces were not just ready, but confident. 'They were very confident in terms of their capacity and their ability to access the precision standoff weapon we needed for this operation.' A measured, calculated punishment India's strikes were not symbolic or limited. They were designed to cripple operational leadership and command centres. 'This particular barbaric atrocity would be answered and answered in such a way… we will not be confining ourselves to the foot soldiers or to some remote camps. We will be going after the headquarters, going after the leaders,' Singh said. He added that Operation Sindoor was about scripting a new kind of response—one that doesn't just retaliate, but disorients. Pakistan's attempted retaliation and eventual ceasefire plea Pakistan initially refused communication after India's first night of strikes. 'On the first night after the strike, they refused even to talk to our DGMO,' Singh said. 'They only said to just wait for our response.' However, the mood shifted once India struck deeper. 'They were the ones who came forward asking for time, asking whether we would be willing to meet them and talk to them. And thereafter, of course, asking for a cessation of the hostilities,' he said. Singh confirmed the sequence is well documented. 'They are the ones who came forward, who asked for time and thereafter essentially asked for a ceasefire,' he added. He said Pakistan's military treated the terrorists as part of their own assets. 'They did respond to our limited calibrated strikes only on their terrorist quarters and infrastructure by trying to hit our military establishment. In a sense, they took ownership of the terrorists as being one of their assets,' Singh said. Pakistani airbases took a serious hit Singh pointed out that India's strikes on Pakistan's military infrastructure had lasting effects. 'The fact that we were able to hit their most important air bases, including the one at Noor Khan, itself should make it very clear that these were fairly significant losses that they suffered,' he said. 'Many of those airfields are still out of commission. There are other assets that have been damaged as well as significant casualties as well,' he added. Budget growth and the absorption challenge Singh acknowledged that India's defence budget has steadily grown, particularly for modernisation. But the bigger challenge, he said, lies in using those funds effectively. 'Our budget has been growing at a rate of about 7 per cent. I'm talking only about the modernisation capital budget,' he said. However, he pointed out that, 'in many years, we've ended up surrendering money.' This year, that changed. 'We actually fully utilised our revised estimate,' he said. More significantly, India signed defence contracts worth ₹2 lakh crore—double the previous high of ₹1 lakh crore in 2023–24. 'But unless you speed up procurements, unless you do the contract signings, then get after the vendors to ensure that those contracts are fulfilled… your absorptive capacity itself is a bigger constraint than the budgetary constraint,' Singh said. India's defence manufacturing has reached new milestones. According to Singh, defence production hit a record ₹1.27 lakh crore in FY 2023–24. This industrial push is backed by 16 Defence Public Sector Undertakings, more than 430 licensed firms, and around 16,000 micro, small and medium enterprises. This growing ecosystem ensures India can rely more on its own capabilities in future operations.
