Bodies were unrecognisable: Two officials recall horror of AI171 Ahmedabad crash

Published 11 June 2026 · local

It has been a year since the tragic Air India AI171 flight from Ahmedabad to London crashed into the BJ Medical College hostel, killing 260

It has been a year since the tragic Air India AI171 flight from Ahmedabad to London crashed into the BJ Medical College hostel, killing 260 people, including 241 passengers and crew members and 19 people on the ground. The circumstances surrounding the accident—one of the worst aviation disasters in Indian history—are still under investigation. A year on, two key members of the relief and rescue operation have spoken about the tragedy. Read Full Story Dr Rakesh Joshi, Superintendent of Ahmedabad Civil Hospital, and GS Malik, now DGP Gujarat and the then Police Commissioner of Ahmedabad, recalled how multiple departments worked together to manage the massive relief and recovery operation. 'BODIES WERE UNRECOGNISABLE' Dr Joshi told India Today TV that the morning of 12 June 2025 began like any other routine day. He was in the middle of a surgery when, around 1:45 pm, the hospital’s chief security officer alerted him about thick black smoke rising near the campus, possibly due to a fire. He said he initially asked for verification, but within seconds received another call confirming that a plane had crashed in the BJ Medical College hostel area. Dr. Joshi immediately handed over the surgery to other doctors and rushed out. Soon after, it became clear that the aircraft was an international flight. En route to the trauma centre, he instructed all available doctors to report there immediately, anticipating mass casualties given the proximity of the crash site.

He recalled that the first injured patient who arrived at the trauma centre was severely burnt and said the aircraft had crashed in the students’ mess area. “He walked into the trauma centre on his own,” Dr Joshi said, adding that the initial expectation of multiple injured survivors lasted barely an hour. Within that first hour, hospitals began receiving burn victims and patients with fractures. However, the nature of casualties soon changed, he said, as completely charred bodies started arriving and were shifted to the post-mortem room. With relatives already gathering near the airport after news of the crash broke, the hospital soon became crowded with anxious family members seeking information. Dr. Joshi said there were many questions but few immediate answers. He added that DNA sampling became essential for identification, requiring coordination between forensic teams, police, AMC and the FSL, along with samples from family members. According to him, the Chief Minister reached the Civil Hospital within two hours of the incident, followed by the Home Minister in the evening, and the Prime Minister the next morning. “Our instruction was clear: identify the deceased as quickly as possible and ensure dignified handover to families,” Dr Joshi said. He added that within 48 hours, DNA match reports began arriving from the FSL, after which bodies started being handed over. Once matches were confirmed, families were called to the hospital, documents were verified, and the remains were released from the post-mortem facility.