Ahmedabad plane crash: 119 victims identified as probe recovers second black box

Twelve families still await final DNA results, with authorities hopeful that pending reports will swiftly complete the identification process.

The identification of victims from the devastating Air India flight AI-171 crash on June 12 has accelerated, with officials confirming DNA matches for 119 of the 270 deceased. Sixty-four bodies have already been handed over to grieving families, while 24 more are expected to be released soon, Ahmedabad Civil Hospital Superintendent Dr Rakesh Joshi said.

As per The New Indian Express, twelve families still await final DNA results, with authorities hopeful that pending reports will swiftly complete the identification process. Among those identified was former Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani, whose remains were cremated with state honours in Rajkot on Monday.

Meanwhile, investigators recovered the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) - the second black box - from the wreckage, along with a trailing wire from the aircraft’s rear section. Both items were handed to the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) for analysis, The New Indian Express reported. The flight data recorder, the first black box, had been retrieved earlier. Human remains found in the debris were also sent to the Civil Hospital for postmortem.

A high-level committee led by Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan is concurrently examining potential causes of the crash to shape future safety policies.

Meanwhile, a touching tribute shared on the airline’s internal forum described the twelve Air India crew members - eight of them women - who were among the 241 passengers and staff who perished in the tragedy, as a family “united by wings.”

The crew, aged between 22 and 44, represented a mix of experience and youthful dedication. Aviation expert Sanjay Lazar later posted the memorial collage on X, honouring their “promise, professionalism and sacrifice.”