Ahmedabad Civil Hospital turns into ground zero of grief after AI 171 crash

Ahmedabad: For the past week, the Civil Hospital campus in Ahmedabad has been more than just a medical facility—it has become a place of restless waiting, whispered prayers, and unbearable silence for dozens of grieving families. With eyes swollen from tears and hearts heavy with unanswered questions, they wait not for hope, but for closure.

A week has passed since the devastating crash of Air India flight AI 171, which claimed the lives of 241 passengers and crew and left a trail of destruction in its path as it plummeted into the Atulyam hostel complex in Meghaninagar. The fireball that followed not only consumed the aircraft but lives on the ground as well. The government is yet to confirm the total on-ground casualties, but sources put the overall toll at around 275.

For families whose loved ones were on board, the tragedy has been doubly cruel. The bodies were charred beyond recognition, leaving them with no chance to even say a final goodbye. The only hope of reconnecting with the dead lay in strands of DNA—a scientific match, a name, a confirmation.

One of the largest DNA identification efforts in the country was launched. As of Thursday morning, forensic teams, including over 200 experts from Gujarat's FSLs (Forensic Science Laboratories) and the National Forensic Science University, had successfully matched 210 samples. So far, 187 mortal remains have been returned to grieving families.

Dr Rakesh Joshi, medical superintendent of Civil Hospital, confirmed the latest figures, noting that the deceased include 30 British nationals, four Portuguese nationals, one Canadian, and six crew members. Among Indian victims were 48 from Ahmedabad, 18 from Vadodara, 12 from Diu, and others from across Gujarat and Maharashtra. Some bodies were flown home, others carried away in hearses, wrapped in silence.

Inside the hospital compound, tents and plastic chairs offer little comfort. Families sit in clusters, some with prayer beads, others with blank stares. Every time a name is called, a wave of fear and finality sweeps through.
Nineteen injured are still fighting for recovery—seven at Civil Hospital, others in private clinics. But for most, the wounds are not physical. They are wounds of absence, of sudden loss, of mornings without answers.

Meanwhile, the crash has left material scars too. Officials estimate damages of ₹2.69 crore to the belongings of 97 doctors and medical students living in the hostel complex. Investigations are underway and a police complaint is likely. The government plans to seek compensation from Air India.
But for the families at Civil Hospital, no compensation will ever be enough. Their loss cannot be tallied in numbers or assessed in money. It sits quietly beside them—in photos, in silence, in the unbearable weight of waiting for someone who will never come home..

Lone survivor performs brother’s last rites in Diu
In a moment that blurred the line between miracle and mourning, Viswashkumar Ramesh, the only survivor of the AI-171 crash, returned to his ancestral village in Bucharwada in Union Territory Diu on Wednesday, not in celebration, but to perform the last rites of his younger brother Ajay.

The 40-year-old businessman from Leicester, his face still wrapped in bandages, staggered under the weight of both grief and ritual as he carried his brother’s bier. Just a week earlier, both had boarded the ill-fated Air India Dreamliner. Viswash sat on 11A. Ajay, on 11J. Only one would walk out alive.

The images of Viswash escaping through smoke and fire on June 12 shocked the world. But what followed was even harder to bear. In silence and tears, their father, Ramesh Bhalia, lit Ajay’s funeral pyre, while the family stood mourning one son and clinging to the shattered presence of the other.

“Vishwash’s survival feels more like a punishment to him. He doesn’t speak. He barely eats. He just stares, as if still inside that fire,” said his close relative.
Viswash was discharged just a day earlier from Ahmedabad Civil Hospital. Before leaving, he was briefly questioned by the city crime branch. But words seem too heavy for him now.

Multi-agency investigation on
The cause behind the tragic crash remains uncertain, even as several theories continue to circulate. A high-level, multi-agency investigation is underway at the crash site in Atulyam Complex, where four probe teams — including three international agencies — have sealed off the wreckage zone to prevent evidence from being lost to the approaching monsoon.

Each part of the aircraft is being documented using advanced forensic techniques before it is moved. “Every piece is being photographed and videographed thoroughly, in line with global aviation investigation protocols,” a senior police officer said.

Investigators are studying the pattern of debris spread to understand the aircraft’s last moments, including the angle of impact and possible in-flight malfunctions. Critical components such as engine parts, flight control systems, and electronic units are being catalogued and sealed in moisture-proof packaging to prevent damage.

India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is leading the inquiry alongside the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and the UK’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). Their joint presence reflects the international importance of the case, as the aircraft was built and maintained across multiple countries.

Apart from physical evidence, the probe teams are also reviewing black box data, crew training logs, maintenance records, and eyewitness statements to determine whether technical failure, human error, or procedural lapses caused the crash.
Officials expect the investigation to take several weeks. No wreckage will be moved from the site until all documentation is complete.