Ahmedabad plane crash: 208 victims identified through DNA testing, 170 bodies handed over
Ahmedabad, Jun 18 (PTI): At least 208 victims of the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad have been so far identified through DNA testing and 170 bodies handed over to the families, an official said on Wednesday.
The London-bound Air India flight AI-171 carrying 242 passengers and crew members crashed soon after take-off in Ahmedabad on June 12. All but one passenger on board the plane died along with at least 29 on the ground when the aircraft smashed into the hostel complex of B J Medical College.
Authorities are carrying out DNA tests to establish the identity of the victims as many bodies were charred beyond recognition.
"Till Wednesday evening, 208 DNA samples have been matched, and 170 bodies have been handed over to the respective families," Ahmedabad Civil Hospital's medical superintendent Dr Rakesh Joshi told reporters.
The victims whose bodies were handed over included four Portuguese nationals, 30 British nationals and one Canadian.
Following the crash, 71 injured persons were admitted to the civil hospital, Dr Joshi said.
"Of these 71, only seven are currently undergoing treatment here, while 12 other patients are admitted to private hospitals in Ahmedabad and Dahod. Three patients lost their lives during treatment," said Dr Joshi. The remaining patients were discharged after treatment.
The state government had earlier stated that samples of 250 victims -- persons on board the ill-fated flight as well as those killed on the ground -- were collected for identification.
The process of DNA matching of other victims is going on, officials said.
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Unemployment is biggest problem faced by youth, it is directly linked to 'vote chori': Rahul Gandhi
New Delhi (PTI): Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday claimed that as long as elections are "stolen", unemployment and corruption will continue to rise, and asserted that young people will no longer tolerate "job theft" and "vote theft".
In a post on X in Hindi, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha said unemployment is the biggest problem facing youth in India and it is directly linked to "vote chori".
When a government wins public trust and comes to power, its first duty is to provide employment and opportunities to the youth, he said.
"But the BJP doesn't win elections honestly -- they stay in power by stealing votes and controlling institutions," Gandhi alleged.
That's why unemployment has reached a 45-year high, he said.
"That's why jobs are declining, recruitment processes have collapsed, and the future of youth is being jeopardised. That's why every exam paper leak and every recruitment is linked to stories of corruption," Gandhi said.
भारत में युवाओं की सबसे बड़ी समस्या बेरोज़गारी है - और इसका सीधा रिश्ता वोट चोरी से है।
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) September 23, 2025
जब कोई सरकार जनता का विश्वास जीतकर सत्ता में आती है, तो उसका पहला कर्तव्य होता है युवाओं को रोज़गार और अवसर देना।
लेकिन BJP चुनाव ईमानदारी से नहीं जीतती - वो वोट चोरी और संस्थाओं को कैद कर… pic.twitter.com/DlDmdYOl5i
"The country's youth work hard, dream, and fight for their future. But (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi is solely focused on his PR, getting celebrities to sing praises for him, and billionaire profits. It has become the government's identity to shatter the hopes of the youth and leave them frustrated," the former Congress chief said.
"Now, the situation is changing. India's youth understand that the real fight isn't just for jobs, but against vote theft. Because as long as elections are stolen, unemployment and corruption will continue to rise," he said.
Young people will no longer tolerate "job theft" or "vote theft", Gandhi asserted.
"The ultimate patriotism now lies in freeing India from unemployment and vote theft," he said.
Gandhi also shared a split screen video montage of police lathi-charging protesting students seeking jobs on one half of the screen and Prime Minister Modi planting saplings, feeding peacocks and practising Yoga on the other half of the screen.
