Authorities have handed over additional body parts recovered from the June 12 Ahmedabad plane crash site to six families after DNA tests confirmed their identity, a senior health official said on Friday.
Dr Rakesh Joshi, Medical Superintendent of Ahmedabad Civil Hospital, confirmed that the death toll remains at 260 as per official records. The latest handover of remains pertains to those same victims.
Crash aftermath: Scattered remains due to explosion
Dr Joshi noted that the impact of the crash, which resembled an explosion, had caused significant dismemberment. “When we initially handed over the mortal remains, we informed families that more parts might be recovered during subsequent clearing operations,” he stated.
Some families opted for hospital to handle last rites
While the majority of families consented to the hospital performing last rites as per protocol, 16 families had requested to be informed if further remains were found. "We contacted these 16 families after some body parts were discovered during debris clearance," Joshi said.
Of these, six families came forward to collect the remains on Thursday, one is yet to respond, and nine gave the hospital permission to carry out the last rites on their behalf.
Crash killed 260, only one survivor
The crash occurred when a London-bound Air India flight slammed into a hostel complex in Meghaninagar shortly after taking off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. The tragedy claimed the lives of 241 people on board and several others on the ground. One passenger miraculously survived.
