Former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani has been confirmed dead in the tragic crash of Air India Flight AI171 through DNA testing, authorities announced Sunday.
The crash occurred on June 12, just seconds after takeoff from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, killing 241 of the 242 onboard.
The 68-year-old leader was on his way to London to reunite with his wife and daughter. His travel plans had been rescheduled twice before he finally boarded the doomed June 12 flight, where he was listed in business class seat 2D.
The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed into a building within the BJ Medical College campus in Meghaninagar, just over a kilometre from the airport runway. The collision caused a massive fireball, destroying parts of the medical hostel and claiming additional lives on the ground, including several MBBS students.
CCTV footage shows the aircraft airborne for only 32 seconds before it lost altitude and plummeted. Mr. Rupani’s body will be flown to Rajkot by chartered aircraft, and the final rites are expected to be decided by his family later today.
As of Sunday, 32 victims have been identified, with 14 bodies returned to families. A comprehensive probe involving the DGCA, AAIB, and Boeing’s forensic team is underway, examining black box data to determine the cause of the crash.
This marks one of India’s worst air disasters in recent years.
