Families Grieve and Await DNA Results After India’s Worst Plane Crash in Decades
Image via Newyork Times
As dawn broke over Ahmedabad on Friday, hundreds of grieving families gathered outside the Civil Hospital, anxiously waiting for DNA tests to help identify the bodies of loved ones lost in India’s deadliest aviation disaster in decades.
The crash of Air India Flight AI171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner bound for London, killed at least 269 people, including 241 passengers and crew members. The aircraft exploded into flames shortly after takeoff on Thursday afternoon, crashing into a college dining hall and damaging nearby apartment blocks.
Authorities caution the death toll may rise further as rescue teams continue to search the crash site. Only one passenger has survived the disaster, and is currently receiving treatment. Details surrounding the survivor’s escape remain unclear.
Prime Minister Modi Visits Crash Site
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whose home state is Gujarat, arrived in Ahmedabad on Friday to survey the devastation. He also visited those injured in the crash and met with emergency response teams.
In the wake of the incident, India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) issued a sweeping directive, ordering immediate additional maintenance inspections across Air India’s Boeing fleet.
“A Fireball on Impact”
According to Home Minister Amit Shah, the aircraft was carrying approximately 125,000 liters (33,000 gallons) of aviation fuel. After a brief time in the air, the aircraft lost altitude and crashed into the dining facility of a government medical college, where dozens of students were seated for lunch.
The impact was catastrophic. The plane skidded across the ground, igniting a massive fireball that engulfed parts of the college and neighboring residential blocks. The explosion was so intense that rescue operations were nearly impossible, and many victims' bodies were burned beyond recognition.
DNA Identification Becomes the Only Option
Image via Newyork Times
At Ahmedabad Civil Hospital, less than a mile from the crash site, more than 250 bodies have been brought in, many of them charred and unidentifiable. By Friday afternoon, officials had collected DNA samples from over 200 grieving relatives, but results were expected only by Saturday evening.
Dr. Vijay Shah, a senior medical officer at the hospital, confirmed that the facility was overwhelmed by the sheer volume of casualties.
“The magnitude of this tragedy is unlike anything we’ve seen in recent memory,” he told TheTrendingPeople.com.
Outside the hospital, the emotional toll was visible. A foul stench began to rise by late afternoon, prompting volunteers to distribute masks. Less than 10 bodies had been released by that point. Ambulances queued to transfer bodies to cold storage units at nearby facilities.
Personal Tragedies, National Mourning
Alkesh Patel, one of the many waiting relatives, told TheTrendingPeople.com that his 70-year-old uncle, Neelkanth Patel, was on the ill-fated flight.
“He was my mother’s younger brother,” he said. “My mother is waiting to give her DNA sample.”
Nearby, Salma Rafeek Memon, visibly distressed, mourned the loss of her nephew and his young family. They had been returning to London after a visit to Mumbai, connecting through Ahmedabad.
“This is their photo as they bid us goodbye from Mumbai,” she said, showing a photo of the smiling family on her phone. “All four of them are gone.”
What Happened to AI171?
Flight AI171 took off at 1:38 p.m. local time from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, en route to London Gatwick. Within minutes, it lost altitude and crashed into the medical college campus, sparking panic and chaos.
Nearby residential buildings, primarily occupied by doctors and their families, also suffered severe damage.
India’s Civil Aviation Minister confirmed on Friday that the aircraft’s flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder (black box) had been recovered. Air crash investigation teams from the UK and the United States are expected to arrive in India to assist in identifying the cause of the crash.
Public Outcry and Regulatory Response
The crash has raised serious safety concerns over India’s aging fleet and its oversight mechanisms. Calls for accountability are growing, with opposition leaders demanding a parliamentary inquiry and transparency from Air India and DGCA.
As the nation mourns, the priority remains helping families identify and lay to rest their loved ones.
Correction: June 14, 2025
An earlier version of this article misidentified Ahmedabad’s status in Gujarat. It is the largest city, not the capital. Also, an earlier figure miscalculated 125,000 liters as 3,300 gallons; the correct conversion is approximately 33,000 gallons.
