Latest news with #Flight171
Hindustan Times
8 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Last victim identified in Air India Flight 171 crash; death toll reaches 260
Ahmedabad: The last body of a passenger who was killed in the June 12 Air India plane crash, with 242 people on board, was identified on Friday night, taking the death toll from the plane crash to 260. The body of the deceased, a resident from Kutch, was handed over to his relatives late on Saturday night. (Reuters) All the remains found from the Air India Flight 171 crash site in Ahmedabad have been identified using DNA matching or facial recognition, barring one case, Gujarat health department officials had said on Tuesday. 'The last body, of a passenger, was identified on Saturday night using DNA matching. The overall death toll from the plane crash is 260, including 19 non-passengers,' superintendent of Ahmedabad Civil Hospital Rakesh Joshi said, adding no new remains have been recovered from the site in the last few days. The body of the deceased, a resident from Kutch, was handed over to his relatives late on Saturday night, an official said. So far, 253 victims were identified through DNA testing, while six were identified through facial recognition. Also Read: HT explains: How compensation is determined for air crash victims The London-bound Air India Dreamliner aircraft crashed shortly after takeoff on June 12 from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, killing 241 of the 242 people onboard. Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, a 40-year-old British national of Indian origin, emerged as the lone survivor. The impact devastated the residential block of a nearby medical college, claiming several lives on the ground. A total of 318 body parts were recovered from the crash site at Meghaninagar, a senior police official said. Additional chief secretary of the health and family welfare department Dhananjay Dwivedi told HT that as many as 250 relatives of the deceased, including non-passengers, gave DNA samples for identification. He said that while the DNA samples of the relatives of the victims were collected at Ahmedabad Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL), the DNA matching was conducted at FSL Gandhinagar and the National Forensic Sciences University (NFSU). A DNA matching process such as this typically takes months. But in the case of the AI 171 crash, identification of viable samples was completed in about two weeks. DNA sampling for forensic identification follows two primary approaches. The first method involves collecting samples from fresh blood, while the second method requires collecting samples from deceased individuals' remains, demanding greater precision and careful handling to prevent contamination. Also Read: Air India crash: 32 bodies identified, 14 handed over to kin 'The DNA extraction process begins with careful sample preparation. Bone samples are meticulously ground into a fine powder, while tooth samples are first broken into small fragments before being similarly powdered. This is crucial for maximising DNA yield from these challenging biological materials,' said head of the centre of excellence in DNA Forensics at the NFSU Bhargav Patel said. The powdered samples then undergo precise heat treatment using specialised equipment. This process breaks down cellular structures to release the DNA while keeping the genetic material intact. After extraction, the DNA goes through strict quality checks. The scientists then create multiple copies of the genetic material through amplification. The double-stranded DNA is then carefully separated into individual strands and processed through advanced sequencing equipment to create a complete DNA profile. Patel said that his team of 32 scientists and PhD scholars handled more than 150 DNA samples from deceased individuals of the plane crash for matching purposes, successfully identifying over 125 bodies.
Hindustan Times
11 hours ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Global aviation body may join probe into AI crash
NEW DELHI: The International Civil Aviation Organisation is likely to join the investigation into the Air India Flight 171 crash, officials aware of the matter said on Friday, adding that India had requested the UN aviation body to be an observer. The ICAO made a written request to the Indian government on June 20 seeking 'observer status' for one of its investigators in the probe being led by India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB). (REUTERS) The ICAO made a written request to the Indian government on June 20 seeking 'observer status' for one of its investigators in the probe being led by India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), according to officials familiar with the development. 'The ICAO offered to be a part of the investigation due to its critical nature and significant public interest,' an official told HT, speaking on condition of anonymity. India has approved the request, with an ICAO official expected to be designated as observer within the next two days, the official added. The participation represents an unusual step for the Montreal-based organisation. According to ICAO's website, the body 'does not normally participate in aircraft accident investigations, except when the state or states with due authority under Annex 13 — Aircraft Accident and Incident Investigation request our assistance directly.' It was not clear if a request to ICAO was made by authorities in the UK – which lost 52 of its citizens in the June 12 tragedy --- or the US, where the plane-maker Boeing is headquartered. Members from both countries have been part of the analyses till now. Former DGCA joint director general JS Rawat underscored the rarity of such involvement. 'In my career of more than three decades, this is the first time that the ICAO has requested the state (India) to be a part of the investigation,' he said. HT has seen the email sent by India's ICAO representative Angshumali Rastogi to civil aviation secretary Samir Kumar Sinha, in which the UN body stated that 'the presence of an observer will greatly enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the ongoing investigation.' Aviation safety expert Mohan Ranganathan clarified the observer's limited role: 'The investigation is solely conducted by the AAIB. The UK civil aviation authority, the engine and aircraft manufacturer along with US National Transportation Safety Board and ICAO do not play a main role in the investigation apart from assistance, if or when required, by the AAIB.' When ICAO does participate as an observer, assistance typically involves 'clarifying various Annex 13 requirements when requested,' according to the organization's guidelines. The AAIB is currently investigating the crash of Air India Flight 171, which went down shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad on June 12, killing at least 271 people. The investigation also involves other international stakeholders given the aircraft type and components involved, including Boeing as the aircraft manufacturer, Rolls-Royce for the engines, and aviation authorities from countries where the aircraft was certified. The civil aviation ministry and ICAO did not respond to queries seeking comment.
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Business Standard
a day ago
- Politics
- Business Standard
Parl panel summons Boeing officials, civil aviation secy in Air India crash
Two weeks after a Boeing Dreamliner with Air India crashed in Ahmedabad minutes after taking off, Parliament's Transport Committee has summoned Boeing officials and the Civil Aviation Secretary to appear before the panel, The Economic Times reported on Friday. The officials have been summoned regarding the safety concerns. Citing sources, the report stated the panel intends to conduct a detailed study of the crash and will hold deliberations with several stakeholders, including Air India, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), and Boeing. India's worst air tragedy in decades under investigation On June 12, an Air India flight from Ahmedabad to Gatwick (London) crashed into a medical college in the Meghani Nagar area of Ahmedabad shortly after takeoff. The crash resulted in the loss of nearly 270 lives, including 241 people out of 242 people on board. The committee, chaired by Rajya Sabha MP and Janata Dal (United) national working president Sanjay Jha, oversees matters relating to transport and civil aviation. The panel is expected to submit a detailed report on aviation safety and investigate issues such as when the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner was procured and why it was selected over other aircraft, the report said. Data extracted from black box The developments come a day after the investigators probing the Air India Flight 171 crash extracted data from the black box at the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) lab in Delhi, the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) said, adding that the analysis of the data is underway. In an unusual move, the United Nations offered one of its investigators to India to assist in the probe of the crash. However, earlier today, Reuters reported that the central government has denied a UN investigator to join the probe of Air India flight 171. Tata pledges long-term family support Meanwhile, N Chandrasekaran, Tata Sons' chairman, on Thursday, announced that Tata Sons and Tata Trusts will jointly form a dedicated trust to provide long-term assistance to the families of the deceased in the accident.
Nikkei Asia
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Nikkei Asia
Real grief, fake images: How AI hijacked Air India crash coverage
Within hours of the crash of Air India Flight 171, there was a flood of fake, AI-generated content playing on the grief of families of those who died. (Nikkei montage/Source photos by Ken Kobayashi) VIREN NAIDU MUMBAI -- Rajasthan-based teacher Kuldeep Bhatt's grief over the loss of his cousin, Komi Vyas, in the Air India 171 crash in mid-June was interrupted in a uniquely modern way -- by an artificial intelligence-generated video depicting her cremation, overlaid with a sophisticated montage and grim music. "We hadn't even identified Komi's body. However, the AI video, stitched together using the selfie Komi had sent us aboard the fateful flight, went viral," Bhatt told Nikkei Asia. Within days of the crash, manipulated visuals based on the selfie had hijacked the family's collective mourning and WhatsApp chats.
Metro
2 days ago
- Metro
Air India crash investigators give update after recovering black box data
Investigators have successfully recovered data from the black boxes of Air India Flight 171. India's Air Accident Investigation Bureau confirmed it had begun to analyse information from the plane's flight data and cockpit voice recorders. The next stage of the investigation will involve piecing together the deadly sequence of events which led to the tragedy that killed 260 people, including all but one of the 242 passengers on board. Both black boxes were transported from the crash site in Ahmedabad to the AAIB's lab in Delhi on June 24. Their data was extracted a day later. While one of the recorders was found within the wreckage, the other was recovered from the roof of a building the aircraft smashed into. Analysis of the raw data could take some time. The UN recommends countries publish a preliminary report within 30 days of the incident. It's guidance states that the final report should be made available in the 'shortest possible time', ideally within a year. In a statement, India's ministry of civil aviation said: 'On the evening of 24 June 2025, the team led by DG AAIB with technical members from AAIB and NTSB began the data extraction process. 'The Crash Protection Module (CPM) from the front black box was safely retrieved, and on 25 June, 2025, the memory module was successfully accessed and its data downloaded at the AAIB Lab. 'The analysis of CVR and FDR data is underway. These efforts aim to reconstruct the sequence of events leading to the accident and identify contributing factors to enhance aviation safety and prevent future occurrences. 'All actions have been taken in full compliance with domestic laws and international obligations in a time bound manner.' It comes days after Air India was forced to apologise after leaked footage showed the bosses of one of its joint ventures partying just days after the air disaster. Viral footage showed executives of Air India SATS (AISATS), the airline's cargo and ground handling arm, dancing to blaring music. The clip was believed to have been filmed at the company's offices in Gurugam, near Delhi on June 20. AISATS said in a statement: 'AISATS is aware of a video being circulated on social media that unfortunately is completely out of context. 'Notwithstanding, we sincerely regret any emotional discomfort this may have caused.' This was just over a week after the Boeing 787-8 crashed on take off during the flight bound for London Gatwick on June 12. It was the first fatal incident involving a Dreamliner aircraft, although the model has suffered from several operational failures which have caused injuries. More Trending The tragedy was also Air India's first fatal hull loss since the bombing of Flight 185 over the Atlantic ocean in 1985. On the flight deck was Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, who had 8,200 flight hours alongside co-pilot Clive Kundar, who had 1,100 hours of flying experience. There were also 10 crew on board. Authorities confirmed earlier this week they had identified and handed over 256 of the victims' bodies. Just one British man, Vishwash Kuman Ramesh, who was sat in seat 11A. survived the crash. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page.
