Ahmedabad plane crash: 215 DNA samples matched, 198 bodies handed to their families

In the recent Ahmedabad plane crash tragedy, 241 people out of 242 onboard died. DNA matches identified 215 victims in the Air India AI-171 plane crash while mortal remains of a total of 198 deceased were handed over to their respective families, ANI reported.

Ahmedabad Civil Hospital Superintendent Rakesh Joshi on June 20 said, "215 DNA samples have been matched, of which the mortal remains of 198 deceased have been handed over to their families...Of the 198 deceased, 149 are Indian nationals, seven Portuguese, 32 British and one Canadian."

As per the report, the mortal remains of 183 victims were dispatched by road through ambulances while the bodies of remaining 15 victims were dispatched by air.

Earlier on Thursday, Ahmedabad Police Commissioner GS Malik informed ANI that 222 victims of the Air India plane crash have been identified. According to GS Malik, DNA samples were used to identify 214 individuals while eight were identified without DNA matching.

The devastating Air India crash took place on June 12 when a London-bound Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner set off for its journey from Gujarat's Ahmedabad. Moments after takeoff from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, the aircraft rammed into a hostel complex of BJ Medical College.

Air India plane crash lone survivor bids adieu to brother

Air India crash's lone survivor Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, a 40-year-old British national, bid his last farewell to brother Ajay on June 18. A week after he was discharged from the Ahmedabad's Civil Hospital, Kumar Ramesh carried mortal remains of his brother to the cremation ground in Diu. Ajay's body was identified through DNA sampling, PTI reported.

Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, who was seated on 11A of the ill-fated Air India flight to London performed Ajay's last rites with his family on Wednesday morning.

Explaining how he unbuckled himself from his seat and escaped through an emergency exit shortly after crash, Vishwash Kumar said, “When I saw that the door of the plane was broken, I told myself that I can try and get out. Eventually, I came out of the plane.”