- Dr P K Mishra meets victims and families at Civil Hospital
- Dr P K Mishra directs officials to expedite victim identification process
- Hospital says body handover may take 3-4 more days
NE NEWS SERVICE
AHMEDABAD, JUNE 14
Dr. P. K. Mishra, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, visited Ahmedabad on Sunday to assess the situation following the recent plane crash. His visit reinforced Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s directive to ensure swift relief, a thorough investigation, and comprehensive support for victims and their families.
Mishra reviewed the accident site near B.J. Medical College, Meghani Nagar, where senior officials from the State Government, Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), and Airports Authority of India briefed him on the sequence of events and immediate response measures.
During his visit to Civil Hospital, Ahmedabad, Dr. Mishra met bereaved families, observed DNA sample matching, and directed authorities to provide full assistance, ensuring a seamless and compassionate process. He also interacted with injured victims, instructing hospital officials to prioritize their medical treatment and recovery.
At the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) in Gandhinagar, Dr. Mishra reviewed DNA sampling efforts and stressed the need to complete identification swiftly while maintaining scientific accuracy.
Chairing a high-level review meeting at Circuit House, Ahmedabad, Dr. Mishra discussed ongoing relief, rescue, and investigation efforts with senior officials from the Central and State Governments, AAIB, and Airports Authority of India. The AAIB has launched a detailed investigation, and the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is conducting a parallel probe under international protocols since the aircraft is American-made. Officials confirmed that the Flight Data Recorder (FDR) and Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) have been located and secured.
Dr. Mishra reiterated the Prime Minister’s commitment to providing all possible support to victims’ families and ensuring a coordinated response across all agencies involved. The Principal Secretary was accompanied by PMO officials Tarun Kapoor, Advisor to the PM, and Mangesh Ghildiyal, Deputy Secretary, PMO.
According to officials, the PMO delegation will hold key meetings with Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, the Director General of Police, and the Additional Chief Secretary (Home).
The discussions will centre around inter-agency coordination, ongoing rescue operations, and logistical support for victims’ families.
State Emergency Commissioner Alok Pandey on Sunday said that the process of handing over all bodies of the victims to their families may take another three to four days.
Meanwhile, authorities confirmed the identities of 47 victims from the plane crash through DNA matching, and have so far handed over 24 bodies to their families, officials said.
“A total of 47 plane crash victims have been identified so far through DNA matching. Of these, bodies of 24 victims have been handed over to the respective families. These deceased were from Rajasthan and different parts of Gujarat,” Additional Civil Superintendent Dr. Rajnish Patel told reporters.
Further, they said that 22 death certificates have been issued so far, and the bodies have been handed over to the respective families. He added that 22 teams have been formed to assist the families with the insurance process to ensure they do not face financial difficulties.
