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At least two families in the United Kingdom who lost their loved ones in the Ahmedabad Air India crash on June 12, have allegedly received the wrong bodies, according to a lawyer representing them. The alleged error came to light after a government official in London attempted to verify the identity of the remains through DNA testing, the lawyer said.
The claims were first reported by the UK-based Daily Mail, which said that the funerals of several British nationals who died in the crash were conducted in India, while the mortal remains of 12 others were flown to the UK. According to the lawyer, at least two families were later informed that the remains they received did not match the DNA of their relatives.
The incident pertains to the crash of Air India flight AI171, which was bound for Gatwick Airport in London and crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad on June 12. All 241 people on board were killed, including 53 British nationals. The tragedy prompted a large-scale recovery and identification operation by Indian authorities.
According to reports, sources in India have said that the process of identifying victims was carried out at a government hospital in Ahmedabad through DNA sampling. Once identified, the bodies were placed in sealed coffins and handed over for repatriation. Sources had also said that Air India had no role in the identification or handling of the remains.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) responded to the allegations, stating that all established procedures were followed in identifying and repatriating the bodies. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “We have seen the report and have been working closely with the UK side from the moment these concerns and issues were brought to our attention.”
“In the wake of the tragic crash, the concerned authorities carried out identification of victims, as per established protocols and technical requirements,” he added. “All mortal remains were handled with utmost professionalism and with due regard for the dignity of the deceased. We are continuing to work with the UK authorities on addressing any concerns related to this issue.”