One body and a few parts of the body were retrieved on Friday morning from Air India plane AI-171’s crash site in Ahmedabad. The aircraft had crashed on Thursday afternoon, killing 241 people on board and leaving casualties on the ground after it crashed into a medical college hostel mess just minutes after takeoff. There were 242 people aboard the flight, which was headed to London.
More than 200 DNA samples have been gathered by authorities to assist in identifying the dead. Five bodies have, to date, been identified and returned to their families after post-mortems.
Four Crash Theories Under Investigation
The investigators are looking at four potential reasons for the crash: bird strike, dual-engine failure, fuel contamination, and overloading. They are also looking into the aircraft maintenance history to see if there were any delayed repairs or scheduled servicing that was overlooked.
Both radar logs and the flight data recorder are being examined. Officials indicate that survivor accounts have become an integral part of the investigation. The only survivor, Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, explained that “within a minute from take-off, it appeared the aircraft had lost power,” suggesting that something might have suddenly switched off engine power. The plane then surged ahead before crashing.
Examiners are also examining technical specifications, such as total fuel load, passenger weight, and luggage, all important variables that impact an airplane’s performance, especially under hot weather conditions when thinner air can put avionics to the test.
PM Modi Visits Crash Site and Hospital
Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached Ahmedabad early on Friday morning and went to the site of the crash to review the situation. He then went to the Civil Hospital, where he saw injured civilians and Ramesh Vishwash Kumar, the sole survivor.
Expressing his emotions about X, the Prime Minister stated, “Visited the crash site in Ahmedabad today. The devastation scene is heart-wrenching. Met officials and hardworking teams operating in the wake. Our thoughts are with those who lost their loved ones in this unimaginable tragedy.”
