Ahmedabad Plane Crash: Air India Offers Refunds Amid Boeing 787 Checks; BJMC Hostels Evacuated For Probe
Following the Air India crash in Ahmedabad that damaged BJ Medical College hostels, 159 students were relocated for investigation. 270 bodies were recovered, with DNA identification underway.
In the aftermath of the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad, the hostels of BJ Medical College which suffered damage are being vacated to facilitate a probe, said the dean of the institute. A total of 159 medical students and resident doctors who lost their accommodations due to the crash have been provided with the alternative housing arrangements.
The vacated hostess will be thoroughly inspected as part of the probe. Meanwhile, the efforts are also underway to remove the part of the ill-fated Air India aircraft (AI-171) that crashed and fell on the hostel mess of BJ Medical College.
Of the 242 people onboard the plane, 241 people, including the crew members, died in the crash.
According to news agency PTI quoting doctors, a total of 270 bodies of the victims of the Air India plane crash have been brought to the Ahmedabad Civil Hospital so far.
The authorities had earlier pegged the death toll at 265. In the last 24 hours, the city fire brigade has recovered one body as well as some body parts from the plane crash site, officials said.
Around 270 bodies have been brought to the civil hospital so far from the plane crash site, President of Junior Doctors' Association of BJ Medical College, Dr Dhaval Gameti, told PTI.
The process of identification of victims by matching the DNA samples is currently underway, and the bodies will be handed over to their relatives once the process is complete. The Ahmedabad Fire and Emergency Service (AFES) has recovered some human body parts as well as a corpse in the last 24 hours from the plane crash site in the Meghaninagar area.
The Boeing 787 Dreamliner (AI 171) flight with 242 passengers and crew members on board crashed into a medical hostel and its canteen complex in Meghaninagar moments after taking off from the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on Thursday afternoon.
Air India Conducts Safety Checks On Boeing 787 Fleet
As part of a one-time directive issued by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), India is currently undertaking comprehensive safety checks on its fleet of Boeing 787 aircraft. Air India has already completed inspections on nine aircraft, with checks on the remaining 24 aircraft progressing on schedule within the regulator’s specified timeline.
Due to the depth of the checks, some aircraft may experience increased turnaround time, potentially resulting in delays, particularly on long-haul routes to destinations with airport operating curfews.
Air India has assured passengers that they will be notified of any delays, and customers are advised to check their flight status at the website before proceeding to the airport.
For those affected by these disruptions, Air India is offering refunds on cancellations or complimentary rescheduling options for travellers who choose to alter their plans.
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