Air India Crash: 47 Bodies Identified So Far, 24 Handed Over To Families

Former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani's body was also identified earlier on Sunday.

Family members mourn the loss of Shubh and Shagun Modi, victims of the Air India crash, during their last rites in Ahmedabad on Sunday, 15 June. 

(Photo: PTI)

The bodies of 47 victims of the Air India crash in Ahmedabad have been identified so far through DNA sampling and 24 of them have been handed over to their families, authorities said on Sunday, 15 June.

"A total of 47 plane crash victims have been identified so far through DNA matching. Of these, bodies of 24 victims have been handed over to the respective families. These deceased were from Rajasthan and different parts of Gujarat," Additional Civil Superintendent Rajnish Patel said while speaking to the media in Ahmedabad.

The mortal remains of former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani were also identified earlier on Sunday through DNA testing. According to officials, the test results confirmed Rupani's identity at around 11:00 am on Sunday morning.

Rupani had initially booked a ticket to London on 19 May, but later cancelled it. He rescheduled it to 5 June, but even that was cancelled. Later, he booked a ticket on the ill-fated 12 June flight which crashed into the BJ Medical College and Hospital.

As many as 241 people on board the Air India flight 171 perished in the deadly accident, and 29 people, including students at the medical college, died on the ground when the aircraft crashed.