Ahmedabad: Authorities of the Ahmedabad Civil Hospital have so far identified six victims on the basis of the DNA samples and initiated the process to hand over the bodies to the relatives, officials said Saturday.
Earlier, eight victims, who were identified by their relatives and did not need DNA profiling as their bodies were not damaged, had been handed over to their families by the hospital, they said.
Doctors Saturday said around 270 bodies have been brought to the hospital from the air crash site so far.
A London-bound Air India flight from Ahmedabad crashed into a medical college hostel complex in the Meghaninagar area of the city moments after taking off from the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport Thursday afternoon.
The victims included 241 of the 242 passengers and crew members on board the flight. One passenger miraculously escaped.
Read Also | Air India plane tragedy: Death toll touches 270; Centre forms panel to find causes of crash
In order to expedite the DNA matching exercise, Gujarat Minister of State for Home Harsh Sanghavi held a meeting with the officials of the state Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) Saturday.
Talking to reporters, Additional Civil Superintendent of the civil hospital, Dr Rajnish Patel, said the results of six DNA samples have arrived and relatives of those six victims have been informed over the phone to collect the mortal remains.
“DNA profiling is underway to ascertain the identity of other victims as their bodies were charred beyond recognition. Till now, results of six DNA samples have arrived after the matching process. We have informed the family members of these six persons to collect the bodies from the civil hospital,” Patel said.
While the family of one victim will claim the body today, that of another one will reach the hospital Sunday morning to collect the mortal remains, he said.
Minister Sanghavi said after holding a meeting at the FSL in Gandhinagar that it was the priority of the state government to finish the DNA matching exercise as early as possible.
Read Also | DGCA orders enhanced inspection of Air India’s Boeing 787 Dreamliner fleet
“Apart from forensic experts from all over Gujarat, several experts sent by the Centre are working round the clock to match DNA samples. As soon as the results come, we send them to the civil hospital so that families can claim the bodies,” he said.
DNA profiling is underway to ascertain the identities of those dead bodies which were charred beyond recognition. After the collection of DNA samples from the kin at the civil hospital, these samples are sent to the FSL in Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar for matching.
Read Also | Govt to set up panel to strength aviation safety following Air India plane crash
“Till Friday, relatives of nearly 220 deceased persons had approached the police to give their samples,” said police inspector Chirag Gosai, who is handling the affairs at the post-mortem room.
Details are collected from relatives arriving at the post-mortem room, and these people are then sent to BJ Medical College to provide their DNA samples, he said.
“It will take nearly 72 hours to complete the exercise of matching the DNA samples. Once they match, bodies will be handed over to the relatives from the post-mortem room,” the inspector had said.
PTI
