Ahmedabad plane crash puts spotlight on limited cold storage capacity of public hospitals

Following the tragic crash of Air India Flight-171 in Ahmedabad, which resulted in the deaths of 241 passengers, serious concerns have emerged regarding the city’s limited cold storage capacity for preserving dead bodies.

At the Asarwa Civil Hospital, where the dead bodies have been taken, there are only 36 cold storage units available. Across Ahmedabad, the total cold storage capacity is just 66 units, including:

• 36 in Asarwa Civil Hospital
• 18 in Sola Civil Hospital
• 12 in VS Hospital

With 241 deceased individuals to be accommodated, this shortage has raised urgent logistical and ethical questions.

So far, bodies that have undergone DNA sampling and post-mortem procedures are being stored in the available cold storage units. However, many of the bodies are severely charred. Officials report that around 60% of the bodies were burned, and in some cases, only body parts remain.

Due to these constraints, hospital authorities are reportedly considering transferring bodies to other hospitals. However, other government hospitals in Ahmedabad also face similar limitations in storage capacity.

No official statement has yet been released by Asarwa Civil Hospital regarding how the overflow will be managed. The deceased will need to be kept in cold storage until their identities are confirmed and the remains are handed over to their respective families.

The crash occurred on Thursday afternoon when an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, operating as Flight AI-171 from Ahmedabad to London’s Gatwick, crashed shortly after take-off.

The aircraft, carrying 242 people, including 230 passengers, 10 crew members, and two pilots, plunged into a residential complex near BJ Medical College’s boys hostel.