Senior Congress leader and former Union Minister M. Veerappa Moily on Saturday expressed deep sorrow over the devastating crash of Air India flight AI-171 in Ahmedabad, calling it an “unfortunate” and “tragic” event that has shaken the public’s confidence in aviation safety.
Speaking to ANI, Moily said, “It is the most unfortunate and tragic incident. It has shaken the faith and confidence of the people. We will learn further information after the evidence, such as the black boxes, is probed. An inquiry will be conducted, and proper action will be taken.”
Earlier in the day, Gujarat Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi visited the Directorate of Forensic Sciences to oversee the DNA testing process underway to identify the victims. He was joined by the Home Secretary, IGP of the Intelligence Bureau, and the Director of the Forensic Science Laboratory. Gujarat Police officials were also present at the site.
As the victims’ bodies were severely charred and unrecognizable, the identification process is heavily reliant on DNA testing. Over 250 samples have already been collected from family members at BJ Medical College in Ahmedabad.
The AI-171 Boeing Dreamliner 787-8, en route to London’s Gatwick Airport, crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad International Airport on Thursday. Of the 241 people onboard, only one survived.
Among the deceased were four medical students and the wife of a doctor, according to Dr. Mehul Shah, President of the Indian Medical Association’s Gujarat chapter.
Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu has confirmed that a formal investigation has been launched by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) to determine the cause of the deadly crash.
