DNA of 19 Victims Matched, More Remains Discovered

Doctors in Ahmedabad worked round the clock to match blood and DNA samples to slivers of charred remains; forensic investigators combed through mangled pieces of metal for human parts, and rescuers cut through the wreckage to pull out bodies on Saturday as authorities struggled to arrive at the final toll of India's worst single-aircraft tragedy.

- Prawesh Lama and Maulik Pathak

AHMEDABAD:

Officials said they pulled out three bodies from the debris on Saturday, adding to the already staggering toll from the Thursday afternoon crash of the London-bound Air India 171 flight just outside Ahmedabad airport, even as it became clear that people had died not just on the plane or in the hostel it slammed into, but also the neighbourhood.

The government has confirmed that only one of the 242 people on board the plane survived, and bodies of eight people who died at the BJ Medical College hostel were handed over to their families on Friday. In addition, the 15-year-old son of a tea seller who was sleeping under a tree, Akash Patni, was confirmed dead as well.

Around 20 more people—all on the ground—were feared dead, but confusion reigned on the exact number.

"As of Friday, the death toll stood at 270. Today, we recovered three additional bodies, including one from the tail section of the aircraft. Search and recovery operations for the remaining victims continue," a police official stated.