Vishwas Kumar Ramesh, the sole surviving passenger of the Air India flight AI-171 crash, has been discharged from Ahmedabad Civil Hospital late Tuesday night, confirmed Medical Superintendent Dr. Rakesh Joshi. Vishwas, who walked out of the burning plane after the tragic accident, was the second patient admitted from the crash site. The hospital offered assistance in transporting him home to the Union Territory of Diu, while the airline extended offers of hotel accommodation for Vishwas and his family. However, the family chose to make their own arrangements.
In a somber development, the body of Vishwas’s younger brother, Ajay Ramesh, who was seated in 11-J, was positively identified through DNA analysis. Officials at the Mortuary Complex handed over Ajay’s body to the family early Wednesday morning. Alongside Ajay, the bodies of seven other victims were transported to Diu for cremation.Last rites were conducted on Tuesday for Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, senior crew member Aparna Mahadik, and crew member Maithili Patil in their respective hometowns of Mumbai, Raigad, and Goregaon.
Authorities confirmed that DNA testing has so far identified 190 victims, with 159 bodies returned to their families. The Air India AI-171, en route to London with 242 people aboard, crashed minutes after takeoff, resulting in the deaths of all but one passenger and crew, as well as at least 32 individuals on the ground.Among the deceased was former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, who was accorded full state honours at his funeral on Monday.