As search for the charred wreckage of the ill-fated Air India aircraft continued for a third consecutive day, the remains of one more victim was recovered from the accident-site on Saturday.

The body was recovered while trying to bring down the tail portion of the aircraft, which had got stuck inside a building after the crash. The human remains were identified as that of a crew member of the ill-fated aircraft. The remains were lowered using a rope from the top of the building. Two large cranes were deployed at the accident site, to bring down the tail fin of the aircraft stuck in the building. 

The Gujarat government has maintained a stoic silence regarding the death toll, more than 48 hours after the accident. Hospital authorities said an estimated 270 dead bodies have been received at the civil hospital, which includes 241 passengers, crew and victims who were on the ground. As the process of DNA sample collection and matching the same with the recovered bodies and body parts, was still underway, the exact number of persons killed in the accident is not known.

The State government has also begun handing over bodies of the crash-victims, whose DNA samples matched with those taken from the relatives. Of the 250-odd DNA samples taken so far, a total of 11 DNA samples have been matched and on Saturday evening, one body was handed over to the kin. The families of 11 nationals of foreign origin have been contacted by embassies of their respective countries and arrangements have been made to send samples for DNA matching. Earlier, eight bodies were handed over to the families as they were easily identified. Meanwhile, 36 forensic experts from the Gujarat government assisted their counterparts from the Centre in scanning the wreckage for possible clues that could help the investigation. Hospital authorities on Friday said two medical students were still missing in the incident.

The compensation

Meanwhile, Tata Group said on Saturday that the ₹1 crore compensation will also be given to victims who perished on the ground. “As stated earlier, Tata Group will provide ₹1 crore to the families of each person who lost their lives, including passengers, crew members and individuals on the premises. Medical expenses of all those injured will also be covered, while ensuring necessary care and support,” a Tata Group spokesperson stated.

On Saturday, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge visited the aircraft crash-site and the civil hospital where 30-odd injured were still being treated. On Friday, 12 of those injured were discharged. While talking to media persons, Kharge said it was not right to “blame” anyone in such circumstances. However, he said the government should not take such incidents “lightly.” “Not only should compensation be given, but accountability should also be fixed. No matter who it is,” the Congress leader said.

AI’s compensation

Air India on Saturday announced that it will provide an interim payment of ₹25 lakh to the families of the deceased and survivors of the plane crash. This interim payment is in addition to the ₹1 crore compensation already announced by the parent company, Tata Sons, Air India said in a statement.

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Published on June 14, 2025