Air India crash: Wrong bodies sent to grieving families in UK
July 23, 2025 06:09 pm
Multiple British families of Air India 171 crash have received wrong bodies, according to a report.
On June 12, the London-bound AI 171 flight crashed shortly after take-off in Gujarat’s Ahmedabad. Out of the 260 deceased, 52 were British nationals. Their remains were identified by genetic testing and dental records and transported to the United Kingdom.
The Daily Mail has now reported that the identification and transportation of bodies was botched up in multiple cases.
These errors came to light after Inner West London coroner Dr Fiona Wilcox sought to verify the remains of British nationals transported from India by matching their DNA with samples provided by the families, as per the newspaper.
India’s foreign ministry said that they were aware of the report “and have been working closely with the UK side from the moment these concerns and issues were brought to our attention”.
The statement continued: “In the wake of the tragic crash, the concerned authorities had carried out identification of victims as per established protocols and technical requirements.
“All mortal remains were handled with utmost professionalism and with due regard for the dignity of the deceased.
“We are continuing to work with the UK authorities on addressing any concerns related to this issue.”
- Agencies
