Ahmedabad (Gujarat) [India], June 16 : The rescue operation following the June 12 Air India-171 plane crash in Gujarat's Ahmedabad lasted nearly four hours, involved around 650 personnel, and used approximately 7.5 lakh litres of water for firefighting and cooling, Ahmedabad Fire and Emergency Services Chief Fire Officer Amit Dongre said on Monday.
Detailing about the extensive efforts, Dongre said that over 90 ambulances and more than 100 firefighting vehicles were deployed at the crash site.
"We received a call at around 1.43 pm on June 12. It was a disaster call... We responded from all 19 fire stations... More than 100 fire vehicles were deployed to mitigate this disaster... Four teams were formed for all four buildings... Around 31 people were saved alive during this rescue operation and were shifted to the civil hospitals with the help of NDRF, police department, CISF, SDRF, other NGOs and other fire departments," Dongre told ANI.
He said the operation was carried out with support from multiple agencies, including the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), local police, fire services from nearby cities, and various NGOs.
"More than 90 ambulances were arranged at the site... The operation took 4 hours, around 7.5 lakh litres of water was used for firefighting and cooling purposes, and around 650 total manpower were at work..." he added.
On June 12, the Al-171 Boeing Dreamliner 787-8 aeroplane bound for London's Gatwick had crashed shortly after it took off from the Ahmedabad International Airport. The crash claimed 241 lives out of the 242 people onboard, which included 230 passengers and 12 crew members.
The lone survivor, Vishwashkumar Ramesh, a British national of Indian origin, is currently undergoing treatment for his injuries.
Meanwhile, the Gujarat Health Department and district administration, under the direction of the state government, have expedited the process of identifying the deceased and handing over mortal remains to their family member.