Three days after the horrific crash of Air India flight AI171, former Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani was identified through a DNA test on Sunday morning at 11:10 am, reported by NDTV. The tragedy occurred on June 12 when the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft, flying as flight AI171, crashed moments after taking off from the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. The plane had 242 people on board, of whom 241 died, while a sole passenger survived.
The plane crashed into a building on the BJ Medical College campus in Meghnaninagar, Ahmedabad, soon after takeoff. The spot is located about a kilometre from the runway. The explosion that followed the collision caused severe damage to the hostel building and claimed the lives of several people, including MBBS students.
So far, 32 bodies have been identified and 14 have been handed over to their families, as reported by NDTV.
Vijay Rupani was earlier scheduled to fly to London on May 19, but he cancelled that ticket. He then booked a ticket for June 5, which was again cancelled. He finally booked a seat for the June 12 flight, which unfortunately met with an accident. He was travelling in business class seat 2D.
He was reportedly on his way to London to meet his wife and daughter. According to CCTV footage obtained from the airport, the plane took off at 1:38 pm and lost control in just 32 seconds, after which it crashed into the medical college campus.
The accident is being investigated by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) and Boeing’s expert team through black box data.
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