Nine Days After Ahmedabad Plane Crash, DNA Matching Continues as Families Await Closure
GG News Bureau
Ahmedabad, 21st June: Nine days after the devastating crash of Air India flight AI-171 in Ahmedabad, the process of identifying several victims remains ongoing. Authorities have asked eight families to submit additional DNA samples after initial matches failed, delaying the handover of the bodies.
One of the victims, Ahmedabad-based filmmaker Mahesh Jirawala, was confirmed dead through DNA testing. His body was recovered from the crash site and handed over to his family on Friday. Police presented further evidence—including CCTV footage, location data, and the charred remains of his scooter—to help the family come to terms with the tragedy.
Jirawala, who was returning home on June 12, happened to be near Meghaninagar when the London-bound Dreamliner crashed shortly after takeoff, killing 241 people on board and 29 others on the ground. His wife Hetal recalled that he had called her around 1:14 PM to say he was on his way home—he never arrived.
Ahmedabad Civil Hospital’s medical superintendent, Dr. Rakesh Joshi, confirmed that DNA identification is still underway. “There are eight families whose first samples did not match. In such cases, we request a new sample from a closer relative. The process is sensitive and bound by strict legal protocols,” he said.
So far, DNA tests have confirmed the identities of 231 victims, and 210 bodies have been handed over.
Meanwhile, emotional farewells were held in Maharashtra for two Air India crew members. Deepak Pathak (34), cremated in Badlapur, had been with the airline for over a decade. His body was identified through a nine-day-long DNA process. Thousands joined the funeral procession.
In Pune, 22-year-old crew member Irfan Shaikh’s last rites were held at Nehru Nagar in Pimpri-Chinchwad. His remains were returned to the family after DNA confirmation.
The June 12 tragedy saw the AI-171 aircraft plummet into a medical complex shortly after takeoff from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, leaving behind a trail of destruction. As rescue efforts continue, the nation mourns one of its worst aviation disasters in recent years.
