The death toll from Thursday’s devastating Air India crash in Ahmedabad, western India, has climbed to 270, marking the world’s deadliest aviation disaster in more than a decade. Grief-stricken families are increasingly frustrated over delays in identifying and releasing the remains of their loved ones, many of whom were burned beyond recognition.
The Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, en route to Gatwick Airport in the United Kingdom, plunged into a residential area near B.J. Medical College shortly after take-off, bursting into flames and striking nearby buildings, including a student hostel. Of the 242 people on board, only one person survived.
President of the Junior Doctors Association at B.J. Medical College, Dhaval Gameti, confirmed that 270 bodies had been recovered from the crash site.
The tragedy has reignited concerns about Air India’s safety protocols and technical standards. The airline—acquired by the Tata Group in 2022 from the Indian government—is now under intense scrutiny. Preliminary investigations are exploring possible failures involving engine thrust, landing gear, and flap configuration.
“We want to understand what happened, but we don’t know right now,” said Tata Group Chairman N. Chandrasekaran during a press briefing on Friday.
Meanwhile, desperate families have gathered outside local hospitals, pleading for information. Many victims’ remains are so badly burned that conventional identification methods are proving ineffective.
“We have lost our children,” said Rafiq Abdul Hafiz Memon, who lost four family members in the crash. “We’re not getting any answers. Please help us get information about our children.”
Authorities are relying on dental records and DNA profiling to identify victims. Forensic dentist Jaishankar Pillai revealed that dental records for 135 individuals are currently being matched with medical charts to aid in the process.
However, delays in the identification process are compounding the families’ grief. “We were told it would take 72 hours,” said a father still waiting to claim the body of his son, Harshad Patel. “The authorities are trying to help, but our patience is running out.”
As recovery and identification efforts continue, both Air India and the Indian government face mounting pressure to ensure transparency, provide timely updates, and support the bereaved with compassion and urgency.
Nzubechukwu Eze
