Death toll in Air India crash rises to 270

The death toll from the catastrophic Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad has climbed to 270, officials confirmed on June 14, as distraught families voiced frustration over delays in identifying and releasing the bodies of their loved ones.

Dr. Dhaval Gameti, president of the Junior Doctors Association at B.J. Medical College said that all 270 bodies had been recovered from the site. Most of the victims were severely charred, making visual identification impossible, Caliber.Az reports via Reuters.

The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, en route to Britain’s Gatwick Airport with 242 people onboard, crashed seconds after take-off on June 12, erupting into a fireball as it slammed into a medical college hostel. The crash marks the deadliest aviation disaster globally in over a decade. Only one person survived the crash.

Authorities are relying on dental records and DNA profiling for identification, a process that has delayed the return of remains to grieving families. Forensic dentist Jaishankar Pillai said dental records for 135 victims have been obtained and are being compared against prior dental charts and radiographs.

Outside Ahmedabad hospitals, dozens of anxious relatives waited for news.

“We have lost our children… Please help us get information,” said Rafiq Abdul Hafiz Memon, who lost four family members in the crash. Another father, waiting for the body of his son, Harshad Patel, said he was told it could take up to 72 hours for DNA confirmation. 

“The authorities are trying to help but our patience is running out,” he said.

The tragedy has cast a pall over Air India, which has been attempting to rebuild its image and upgrade its fleet since the Tata Group took over from the Indian government in 2022. Tata Group Chairman N. Chandrasekaran stated on June 13 that the company was working to understand the cause of the disaster, though no conclusions have yet been reached.

By Sabina Mammadli