As grieving families wait in anguish, the process of identifying victims from the Ahmedabad air crash continues to face delays due to the complex nature of DNA testing. Though hospital authorities have handed over 42 bodies and matched 87 DNA samples so far, many remains are still unclaimed. Officials now estimate that it may take another 3-4 days before all mortal remains can be returned to the families.
Complex testing slows handover
Dr Rajnish Patel, medical superintendent at Ahmedabad Civil Hospital, explained that DNA identification involves multiple intricate steps, even after a match is found. The process requires verification, documentation, and careful handling to avoid any errors. “Though we’ve matched 87 samples, including one belonging to a foreign national, paperwork and further verification still delay the handover,” he said.
Relief commissioner Alok Pandey stated that determining the exact death toll remains difficult because several dismembered body parts were recovered from the crash site. “Until DNA sampling is complete, it’s impossible to give a confirmed number of victims,” he said.
Precision-driven DNA profiling
FSL director HP Sanghvi elaborated on the highly sensitive and time-intensive process used to extract DNA from human remains. While some samples come from blood, which is quicker to process, others involve remains like bones or teeth. “Bones are powdered, and teeth are broken down before being subjected to controlled heating in specialized machines to isolate the DNA,” he explained. Once isolated, the DNA is checked for quality and quantity using RT-PCR machines. If it meets standards, it is multiplied, and both DNA strands are analyzed separately using sequencing machines to generate a full profile.
Authorities are leaving no stone unturned to support affected families. The Gujarat government has deployed 192 ambulances to facilitate the return of remains to their homes. Additionally, 22 dedicated teams are working on assisting families with insurance paperwork, and each bereaved household has been assigned police escorts, government officials, and counselors to guide them through the process of obtaining death certificates and other legalities.
So far, 230 families have been contacted, and three families from overseas were expected to arrive in Ahmedabad by Monday to provide their DNA samples for the matching process.
