Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah, visited the crash site of the Air India aircraft in Ahmedabad today. The Home Minister also held a meeting with Union Minister of Civil Aviation Shri Ram Mohan Naidu, Gujarat Chief Minister Shri Bhupendra Patel, and senior officials to review the relief and rescue operations.
Speaking to the media after the meeting, the Union Home Minister said that the entire nation is shocked by the unfortunate incident involving Air India flight number AI-171, and all citizens of the country stand in solidarity with the families who have lost their loved ones in this tragedy.
Shri Shah said that on behalf of the Government of India, the Government of Gujarat, and the Prime Minister, he expresses deep condolences to all those who lost their lives. The Home Minister said that immediately after receiving information about the crash, the Government of Gujarat alerted all disaster management units including the Health Department, Fire Brigade, Police Department, and the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) of the Government of India, and all agencies jointly began the relief and rescue operations.
The Government of India and the Government of Gujarat are jointly engaged in the relief and rescue efforts. Shri Amit Shah said that there were a total of 230 passengers and 12 crew members on board, including domestic and international travellers.
The Home Minister met the injured survivor of the crash at the hospital. He stated that the official number of deceased will be declared only after the completion of DNA testing. The DNA sampling process for the relatives who have reached the site will also be completed in the next 2–3 hours.
Shri Shah said that the families of deceased passengers who are abroad have already been informed, and their DNA samples will be collected upon their arrival in India. Union Home Minister stated that Gujarat’s Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) and the National Forensic Sciences University (NFSU) will jointly complete the DNA testing in the shortest possible time, after which the bodies of the deceased will be handed over to their families.
He also said that the Aviation Department has promptly initiated its investigation. The Home Minister expressed his gratitude to all the agencies involved in the relief and rescue efforts.