Body parts found at Ahmedabad plane crash site handed over to six families after DNA tests

Ahmedabad: Body parts found at the site of the June 12 Ahmedabad plane crash have been handed over to six families following DNA tests, a senior health official said on Friday.

Ahmedabad Civil Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr Rakesh Joshi said the death toll in the horrific crash continues to be 260 as per officials records, adding the body parts that were handed over on Thursday belong to these victims itself.

Incidentally, authorities had announced that the mortal remains of the last victim had been handed over to kin on June 27.

"Since the accident was like an explosion, body parts got scattered. At the time of handing over the mortal remains, we had told families of the possibility of recovery of more remains later," he said.

While a majority of kin of the deceased had given permission to hospital authorities to perform last rites as per rules on recovery of such body parts, 16 families had said they need to be informed if more remains are found, Joshi explained.

"We notified 16 families that some body parts found during clearing work at the crash site belong to their deceased kin and can be collected from the hospital if they want to. Of these, one family is yet to decide, six have collected the second set of remains on Thursday while nine gave us permission to perform last rites," said Joshi.

A London-bound Air India flight crashed into a hostel complex in the Meghaninagar area moments after taking off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport here on June 12, killing 241 on board and several others on the ground. One passenger miraculously survived.