Air India crash: Vijay Rupani’s mortal remains returned to his family; investigators find Cockpit Voice Recorder 

The remains of Vijay Rupani, former Chief Minister of Gujarat, were returned to his family on Monday following DNA confirmation. Rupani, who lost his life in the Air India plane crash last week, was among the 241 passengers and crew who perished when flight AI-171 crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad on June 12.

The incident resulted in 270 fatalities, including 29 individuals on the ground. Among these were five MBBS students. Miraculously, one passenger on the flight survived, bringing a glimmer of hope amid the grief.

Rupani's body was transported from Ahmedabad to his hometown Rajkot. His remains will be available at his residence for an hour to allow the public to pay homage, followed by a funeral procession later in the evening. Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Jal Shakti Minister CR Paatil are expected to visit to pay their respects.

Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, along with other ministers, participated in the handover of Rupani's remains to his family. Rupani served as Gujarat's Chief Minister from 2016 to 2021, during which he played a pivotal role in navigating the state's post-Covid recovery.

Meanwhile, the investigation into the Air India crash has intensified with the recovery of critical black box components. "Officials confirmed to Dr Mishra that the Flight Data Recorder (FDR) and Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) have been located and secured," an official release said.

Dr PK Mishra, Principal Secretary to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, chaired a high-level meeting to review ongoing relief and investigative efforts at the crash site. "Chairing a high-level review meeting at Circuit House, here Dr Mishra discussed ongoing relief, rescue, and investigation efforts with senior officials from the Central and State Governments, AAIB, and Airports Authority of India," a PIB release said.

Dr Mishra also visited the crash site and met with bereaved families at the civil hospital. "I am very pained by the enormity of the tragedy. Everybody is sad. It is our duty to share grief and express our feelings for the victims," he remarked, highlighting the government's commitment to supporting affected families.

Both the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau and the US National Transportation Safety Board are conducting thorough investigations. The discovery of the black boxes is crucial in understanding the sequence of events leading to this tragic accident.