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The Hindu
37 minutes ago
- Health
- The Hindu
Ahmedabad plane crash: 220 victims identified, 202 bodies handed over to kin
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 (June 20, 2025). 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. '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. These 202 individuals include 160 Indians, of whom 151 were passengers, seven Portuguese nationals, 34 British nationals and one Canadian, said Patel 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.
Mint
an hour ago
- Business
- Mint
Air India Plane Crash: Parliament panel had flagged 'discrepancy' in aviation funding, months before Ahmedabad tragedy
Air India Plane Crash: A parliamentary standing committee report flagged a 'distinct imbalance' and 'discrepancy' in the allocation of funds across key aviation bodies in March, about three months before the tragic Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad. The panel observed that the discrepancy raised important questions about prioritising regulatory compliance over security infrastructure and accident investigation capabilities. The panel recommended the adoption of performance-based budgeting for aviation regulatory bodies, linking allocations to specific performance indicators and outcomes. 'The Committee observes that the Capital Outlay for BE 2025 distinct imbalance in the allocation of funds across key aviation bodies. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), entrusted with regulatory oversight, commands the largest share of ₹ 30 Crore, nearly half of the total budget,' reads the report by the Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture. Air India Plane Crash: The 32-member standing committee, headed by Janata Dal United MP Sanjay Jha, presented its report in the Rajya Sabha on March 25, 2025. The London-bound Air India flight AI-171 carrying 242 passengers and crew members crashed in Ahmedabad on 12 June. All but one on board the plane died along with nearly 29 on the ground when the aircraft smashed into a medical complex. 'While its role in ensuring compliance with aviation standards is indisputable, the justification for such a significant allocation must be carefully examined to ensure efficiency and accountability,' the report reads. Air Indai Plane Crash: According to the report, while the DGCA was allocated ₹ 30 crore for the financial year 2025-26, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) got ₹ 20 crore, and the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) received only ₹ 15 crore According to the report, while the DGCA was allocated ₹ 30 crore for the financial year 2025-26, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) got ₹ 20 crore, and the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) received only ₹ 15 crore. The AAIB is probing the Ahmedabad Air India plane crash. 'In contrast, the BCAS and AAIB receive ₹ 15 Crore and ₹ 20 Crore, respectively. While regulatory compliance remains essential, the rapid expansion of aviation infrastructure – with airports increasing from 74 in 2014 to 147 in 2022 and a target of 220 by 2024-25 – necessitates proportional growth of security capabilities and accident investigation resources. In view of the growing complexity of aviation security threats and the critical nature of accident investigations, the Committee finds these allocations relatively modest," the report reads. The 32-member standing committee, headed by Janata Dal United MP Sanjay Jha, presented its report in the Rajya Sabha on March 25, 2025. Apart from Jha (Chairman), the other members of the panel included M Mohamed Abdulla, M Nadimul Haque, Jaggesh, Sudha Murty, Imran Pratapgarhi from the Rajya Sabha and Mina Altaf Ahmad, Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Manoj Tiwari, KC Venugopal from the Lok Sabha to name a few. The report said the 'funding discrepancy' raises important questions about prioritising regulatory compliance over security infrastructure and accident investigation capabilities. The panel recommended that aviation regulatory bodies adopt performance-based budgeting, linking allocations to specific performance indicators and outcomes. 'This approach would enhance accountability and ensure that funds are utilised efficiently to address the most pressing challenges within each domain. Regular performance audits should be conducted to assess the effectiveness of allocated resources and inform future budgeting decisions," it said. Air India Plane Crash: The report said the 'funding discrepancy' raises important questions about prioritising regulatory compliance over security infrastructure and accident investigation capabilities. The discrepancy raises important questions about prioritising regulatory compliance over security infrastructure and accident investigation capabilities. The panel, as reported by LiveMint earlier, also raised serious concerns over the limited manpower in the DGCA, BCAS, and the Airports Authority of India (AAI). More than 53 per cent of positions are vacant in the DGCA, 35 per cent in the BCAS, and 17 per cent in the AAI, which manages airport infrastructure, according to the 375th report on Demands for Grants (2025–26) of the Ministry of Civil Aviation.
Indian Express
an hour ago
- Indian Express
Air India flight to Vietnam returns to Delhi; ‘precautionary measure,' says airline
An Air India flight from Delhi to Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam returned mid-air on Thursday due to a precautionary technical concern, the airline said. Flight AI388 landed safely in Delhi, and all passengers disembarked, following which a replacement flight departed later the same day. 'Air India flight AI388 from Delhi to Ho Chi Minh City has returned to Delhi as a precautionary measure. The flight landed safely back in Delhi and all passengers have been disembarked and served refreshments while an alternative aircraft with fresh crew has been arranged to fly the passengers to Ho Chi Minh City,' an Air India spokesperson said. The spokesperson added, 'We sincerely regret the inconvenience caused to our passengers. At Air India, the safety of our customers and crew remains our top priority.' According to Flightradar24 data, the flight departed at around 1.45 pm before returning to Delhi shortly after. A source in the airline said the replacement aircraft took off for Ho Chi Minh City at around 7 pm. The development comes amid a slew of cancellations and disruptions experienced by the airlines. On Monday, an Air India flight headed to Delhi had to return to Hong Kong because of a technical issue. The flight, AI315, was a Boeing 788. On the same day, an Air India Express flight bound for Ranchi returned to Delhi airport owing to a suspected technical issue. On June 13, an Air India flight from Phuket to Delhi returned to Phuket and made a precautionary landing after receiving a bomb threat. The cancellations and disruptions follow the deadly crash of Air India's London-bound Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner near Ahmedabad airport.
The Hindu
2 hours ago
- Health
- The Hindu
Air India Ahmedabad plane crash victims
Grief surrounds as people lost their lives when a London-bound Air India plane carrying 242 passengers and crew crashed into the B.J. Medical College in Meghani Nagar just moments after take-off on June 12, 2025. A tragedy that saddened everyone as many people's hopes and dreams became despair. Air India announced that 241 of the 242 passengers and crew had died in the crash. There is no confirmation yet on the number of deaths in the medical college and elsewhere in the area. The hospital mortuary has been pushed to its breaking point. Doctors and staff have transformed the post-mortem waiting area into an emergency mortuary. Dozens of anxious family members have been waiting outside an Ahmedabad hospital to collect the bodies of loved ones killed in the crash, as doctors were working overtime to gather dental samples from the deceased to run identification checks and DNA profiling. As of June 19, the authorities have identified 215 victims of the Air India Flight AI-171 crash through matching DNA samples, with 198 bodies already handed over to their families.
News18
2 hours ago
- General
- News18
‘Flew With Compassion': Air India Pays Tribute To Cabin Crew Of Ill-Fated Flight AI-171
Last Updated: Air India said that crew members' grace, warmth, and unwavering care touched thousands of lives in the skies and on the ground. Air India on Friday paid rich tributes to cabin crew members of the ill-fated London-bound Flight AI-171 that crashed in Ahmedabad last week, saying that their grace, warmth, and unwavering care touched thousands of lives in the skies and on the ground. In a special message, Air India wrote, 'With hearts full of sorrow, we remember the cabin crew members we lost – beloved colleagues, cherished friends, and the soul of every journey they were a part of. Their grace, warmth, and unwavering care touched thousands of lives in the skies and on the ground. To passengers, they were calm and comforting faces. To us, they were family." With hearts full of sorrow, we remember the cabin crew members we lost – beloved colleagues, cherished friends, and the soul of every journey they were a part grace, warmth, and unwavering care touched thousands of lives in the skies and on the ground. To passengers,… — Air India (@airindia) June 20, 2025 The airline extended solidarity with their family at this time of immense loss. 'Senior leaders from the Tata Group and Air India continue to stand beside their families and loved ones – to honour their memory, share in their grief, and offer quiet strength in a moment that words cannot ease." 'Their kindness, spirit, and dedication will forever remain a part of who we are. We remember: Aparna Amol Mahadik, Shradha Mahadev Dhavan, Deepak Balasaheb Pathak, Irfan Samir Shaikh, Lamnunthem Singson, Maithili Patil, Kongbrailatpam Nganthoi Sharma, Saineeta Abin Chakravarti, Manisha Thapa and Roshni Rajendra Songhare. You flew with compassion. You will be remembered with love," the post added. The body of Air India cabin crew Lamnunthem Singson reached her hometown in Manipur's Kangpokpi district on Thursday night, after being flown to Dimapur airport in Nagaland. Tragically, another cabin crew member from Manipur, Kongbrailatpam Nganthoi Sharma, who belonged to the Meitei community, also died in the same disaster. Her body is yet to arrive in the state. Ahmedabad Plane Crash India witnessed one of its worst aviation tragedies on Thursday after a London-bound Air India plane, carrying 242 passengers and crew, including former Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani, crashed into a medical college complex shortly after taking off from the Ahmedabad airport. 241 out of 242 passengers and crew members on board the Boeing 787-8 (AI 171) and another 29 persons, including five MBBS students, on the ground were killed in the crash. The aircraft was under the command of Captain Sumeet Sabharwal with First Officer Clive Kunder. Two senior cabin crew members have been identified as Shradha Dhavan and Aparna Mahadik. The other cabin crew members were Saineeta Chakravarti, Nganthoi Kongbrailatpam Sharma, Deepak Pathak, Maithili Patil, Irfan Shaikh, Lamnunthem Singson, Roshni Songhare Rajendra, and Manisha Thapa. One person survived the tragedy. The lone survivor was identified as Indian-origin British national Vishwash Kumar Ramesh who was returning to the UK with his brother Ajay Kumar Rakesh, 45, who was in a different row inside the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner. Meanwhile, 211 victims have been identified so far through DNA matching, while 189 bodies are handed over to their families. Authorities are carrying out DNA tests to establish the identity of the victims as many bodies were charred beyond recognition or severely damaged. The aircraft had 232 passengers and 10 crew members, including 169 Indians, 53 British nationals, seven Portuguese and a Canadian, on board. First Published: June 20, 2025, 11:39 IST
