Patna (Bihar) [India], June 12 : Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar expressed deep sorrow over the tragic crash of an Air India flight near Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport (SVPIA) in Gujarat's Ahmedabad on Thursday.
The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, carrying 242 people, including 12 crew members, crashed shortly after it take-off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on Thursday afternoon.
In a post on X, CM said, "The plane crash in Ahmedabad is extremely sad and heartbreaking. I am deeply saddened by the news of the Air India plane crash. My condolences are with all the affected families in this hour of grief."
Meawhile, Gujarat health authorities have urged families of victims to come forward for DNA testing to help identify the deceased. Additional Chief Secretary of the Health and Family Welfare Department, Dhananjay Dwivedi, said DNA collection facilities have been set up at BJ Medical College in Ahmedabad.
Speaking to the media, Additional Chief Secretary Dwivedi said, "DNA testing arrangements have been made at Kasauti Bhavan of BJ Medical College. Families and close relatives of the flight passengers, especially their parents and children, are requested to submit their samples at the location so that the victims can be identified at the earliest."
"If relatives of the passengers and other injured who have been brought to the Civil Hospital have to make any inquiry, Civil Hospital Ahmedabad has issued two helpline numbers - 6357373831 and 6357373841. You can contact these numbers for any help..."," he added.
Authorities are relying on DNA testing to identify victims, as many bodies were charred beyond recognition due to the intensity of the crash.
"Ahmedabad Civil Hospital's students' hostel, staff quarters and nearby residential areas are located in the area where the plane crashed. Some residents from that area were also injured. Around 50 injured people have been brought to the Ahmedabad Civil Hospital. They are serious but stable and are receiving the best possible treatment," he said.
The Gujarat government has also mobilised three National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams, comprising 90 personnel from Gandhinagar, to assist in rescue operations.
According to an Air India statement, the Boeing 787-8 aircraft, operating as Flight AI-171, departed from Ahmedabad at 1:38 pm IST with 242 people on board, including 12 crew.
The Air India plane was under the command of Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, an LTC with 8,200 hours of flying experience. He was assisted by First Officer Clive Kundar, who had 1,100 hours of flying experience, an official said.
According to Air Traffic Control (ATC), the aircraft departed from Runway 23 at 1339 IST (0809 UTC). It gave a mayday call to ATC, but thereafter, no response was given by the aircraft to the calls made by ATC.