Air India AI-171 Crash: One More Body Recovered from Tail Wreckage as Death Toll Rises to 260

Rescue teams on Saturday recovered another body from the wreckage of Air India Flight AI-171, bringing the confirmed death toll to at least 260. The London-bound Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed just 33 seconds after takeoff from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on Thursday afternoon.

According to officials, the latest body was found lodged in the aircraft’s tail section, which remains embedded in the rooftop of a doctors’ hostel near a Medical College in Meghani Nagar, a densely populated residential area that bore the brunt of the impact.

Tragedy in the Skies

The ill-fated flight was carrying 242 passengers, including:

• 169 Indian nationals

• 53 British citizens

• 7 Portuguese nationals

• 1 Canadian passenger

• 12 crew members

Only one passenger survived: Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, a British national seated in 11A, who managed to escape through a broken emergency exit.

NSG Joins Relief Efforts

A National Security Guard (NSG) team has been deployed to assist in relief and recovery operations at the crash site. News agency PTI reported their presence on Saturday morning, though officials clarified that the NSG holds no investigative mandate in the case.

NSG commandos were spotted on the rooftop of the doctors’ hostel, where the tail of the aircraft remains precariously lodged.

Multi-Agency Probe Underway

A comprehensive investigation is being conducted by multiple agencies, including:

• Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB)

• Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA)

• Ahmedabad Crime Branch

• Local police forces

Additionally, officers from the National Investigation Agency (NIA) visited the site on Friday to assess any potential security angles.

DNA Identification Accelerated

Authorities have fast-tracked DNA analysis of recovered remains, aiming to complete the identification process within three days. With the massive scale of the tragedy and extensive damage on the ground, forensic identification is proving critical in confirming victim identities.