New Delhi [India], June 24 (ANI): Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu confirmed on Tuesday that the black box of the ill-fated Air India flight AI 171 is currently being examined in India by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB). The investigation aims to determine the cause of the tragic crash that occurred earlier this month near Ahmedabad.
“The black box of the crashed AI 171 flight is still in India and is being examined by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau,” Minister Kinjarapu said in a statement.
Meanwhile, the Ahmedabad Civil Hospital has handed over the bodies of 256 victims to their respective families. According to Medical Superintendent Dr. Rakesh Joshi, a total of 253 DNA identifications have been confirmed—240 passengers and 13 non-passengers.
“Of the 253 DNA matches, 240 are passengers and 13 are non-passengers. Additionally, on day one of identification efforts, six deceased bodies were handed over to families based on facial recognition. Combining DNA and facial identifications, 259 individuals have been identified, and 256 bodies have been released to date,” Dr. Joshi told ANI on Monday.
Providing a breakdown of the victims, Dr. Joshi said the 256 bodies included 180 Indian nationals, 19 non-passengers, 49 British citizens, seven Portuguese nationals, and one Canadian. Of these, 28 were repatriated by air and 228 by road.
He further confirmed that all 52 British nationals aboard the plane have been identified. Forty-nine have been sent back to the United Kingdom, while the remaining three are ready for transportation.
The fatal incident occurred on June 12 when Air India flight AI 171, a London-bound Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. The aircraft crashed into the BJ Medical College hostel complex in the Meghani Nagar area. Among the deceased was former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani.
Two days ago, Air India CEO and Managing Director Campbell Wilson issued a statement to reassure the public and airline employees about the safety of the Boeing 787 fleet. “We have completed the additional precautionary checks on our operating Boeing 787 fleet as requested by the DGCA, who have publicly declared that they meet required standards,” Wilson stated.
In the aftermath of the tragedy, Air India reiterated its commitment to supporting affected families. A central helpdesk, operational since June 15, is assisting with the processing of interim compensation claims. The airline has pledged ₹25 lakh for the family of each deceased individual and for the sole survivor to help with immediate financial needs.
The investigation by the AAIB remains ongoing, with further updates expected once the analysis of the black box is complete. (ANI)
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