New Delhi, July 29 - On June 12, 2025, Air India Flight AI171, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, crashed shortly after takeoff from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad, India, en route to London Gatwick. The catastrophic incident claimed 261 lives, including 52 British nationals, and left only one survivor. The plane plummeted into a densely populated area, striking a medical facility and residential buildings, which resulted in an additional 19 deaths on the ground. The intense 1,500°C heat from the crash, combined with the violent impact, left most victims’ remains severely burned, mutilated, or fragmented, complicating identification efforts. In the weeks following the tragedy, a shocking revelation emerged: at least two British families received the wrong remains of their loved ones, compounding their grief with a devastating administrative failure.
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The errors came to light when Dr. Fiona Wilcox, the Inner West London coroner, sought to verify the identities of repatriated British victims through DNA testing. In one case, a family was forced to cancel their funeral arrangements after discovering that the coffin they received contained the remains of an unidentified passenger rather than their relative. In another instance, the remains of multiple victims were mistakenly "commingled" in a single casket, requiring separation before burial could proceed. These blunders were uncovered during routine DNA verification, which cross-checked samples provided by families with the repatriated remains. The discovery raised serious questions about the identification and repatriation process, leaving families in anguish and uncertainty about the whereabouts of their loved ones’ bodies.
The identification process in Ahmedabad was fraught with challenges. The Civil Hospital in Ahmedabad served as the central hub for identifying victims, relying on DNA samples and, in severe cases, dental records due to the condition of the remains. Many families received remains in plastic containers rather than coffins, and they were not permitted to view them, relying solely on official labels and assurances. Indian authorities claimed that by June 28, DNA tests had confirmed the identities of all 260 fatalities. However, the subsequent errors suggest lapses in the chain of custody, from the recovery of remains at the crash site to their repatriation. At least 12 British victims’ remains were transported to the UK via Air India cargo, facilitated by Kenyons International Emergency Services, though the airline stated it had no role in the identification process, which was handled by the hospital.
James Healy-Pratt, an aviation lawyer representing over 20 British families, described the families’ distress, noting that they were “devastated” by the mix-ups. He emphasized the need for a thorough investigation into the recovery and identification process, which began amidst the chaos of the crash site, where local police, fire crews, and volunteers used sniffer dogs and advanced equipment to recover remains. The Indian Ministry of External Affairs responded by asserting that victim identification followed “established protocols and technical requirements” and that remains were handled with “utmost professionalism.” They added that India was working closely with UK authorities to address concerns. Meanwhile, the UK government stated that formal identification was a matter for Indian authorities but confirmed ongoing support for affected families through dedicated caseworkers and liaison officers. The repatriation errors have prompted calls for accountability, with families contacting their MPs, the Foreign Office, and the Prime Minister’s office. As the investigation continues, the families’ grief is compounded by the uncertainty of whether more such errors will emerge, leaving them to question not only the handling of their loved ones’ remains but also the broader response to one of the deadliest aviation disasters in recent history.