Ahmedabad Plane Crash Death Toll Rises to 274

The number of fatalities in the Ahmedabad plane crash has gone up to 274. Even though no official information is out yet, 241 out of the 242 individuals on the plane have perished. Gujarat Police had confirmed the fatalities of 265 on the night of the accident. More bodies and body parts have been retrieved from the wreckage of the plane. At least 274 individuals have been confirmed dead up to Saturday morning. 

The Tragic Takeoff

As soon as it took off from Ahmedabad airport, Air India flight AI171 crashed into a nearby building. It was a medical hostel building. There was an explosion immediately after the plane crashed and the plane burned. Number of people died where the plane disintegrated. The injured are being hospitalized at the local Ahmedabad Civil Hospital and BJ Medical College Hospital.

DNA Testing Initiated

As per local sources, numerous bodies have not been recovered whole. Body parts have been retrieved by excavating the debris. Some have identified only their hands, some their feet. It is not possible to identify all these body parts. Even if the full bodies of numerous ones have been recovered, they cannot be identified. The government of Gujarat has made arrangements for identification through DNA testing. DNA samples have also been requested from the relatives of those who have not been located, those who were on board the plane or at the crash site of the plane.

Rescue Efforts Continue

Rescue operations are still ongoing at Ahmedabad's Meghananagar. The National and State Disaster Response Force are conducting the rescue operations. The rubble has not been cleared yet. Rescuers explained it will take some time to clear the rubble. Therefore, it is impossible to say if anyone is trapped under it. If the rubble is cleared thoroughly, the official death toll could be revised.