Air India Tragedy: DNA Doctor Shares How Teeth Was Used to Identify Victims of Plane Crash

• In the wake of the tragic Air India 171 crash, dental forensics emerged as the key to identifying over 100 victims
• Dr Tamanna Parmar, a periodontist from Ahmedabad, described how teeth withstood extreme heat when little else remained
• Her first-hand account reveals the vital role dentists played in bringing closure to grieving families

In the aftermath of the tragic Air India 171 crash, dental forensics played a pivotal role in identifying the victims—a process described by Dr Tamanna Parmar as both harrowing and vital.

The Ahmedabad-based periodontist and plastic implant surgeon recounted the experience of examining the severely charred remains of over 100 bodies, working alongside approximately 25 other doctors.

“Prosthesis doesn’t melt, bone doesn’t melt, teeth don’t melt. Even when nothing is left and the soft tissue is burned, these survive. Nothing survives except teeth,” Parmar, 33, explained in a phone interview from Ahmedabad.

Teeth are uniquely durable structures in the human body, composed primarily of enamel—the hardest substance produced naturally. During catastrophic events like fires and plane crashes, soft tissues and even bones may be destroyed due to extreme heat.

However, teeth often remain intact because enamel can withstand high temperatures without disintegrating. Their resilience makes them invaluable in disaster victim identification when other body parts are no longer recognisable.

As seen in the aftermath of the Air India 171 crash, dental remains became the most reliable source of DNA, providing investigators with a vital tool to help identify victims and bring closure.

DNA extraction after the Air India crash

On 12 June at around 6 p.m., Dr Parmar was finishing a routine day at her clinic in Vejalpur, Ahmedabad, having just fitted a crown and treated a cavity. Her evening took a stark turn when a message from a junior colleague appeared in a WhatsApp group, urgently seeking dental professionals to assist in identifying the victims of the catastrophic plane crash. Of the 241 people onboard, only one survived.

Without hesitation, Parmar joined the effort to collect DNA samples from the remains. The unique resilience of teeth in extreme heat made them essential tools for post-mortem identification. In scenes where no other body parts had endured the fire, dental remains became the only means to trace identities.

Her account sheds light on the grim but indispensable contribution of dental science in disaster victim identification.

Through a combination of courage and clinical precision, professionals like Dr Parmar brought clarity and closure to one of India’s most devastating air disasters.

Only survivor will get as compensation

Legit.ng earlier reported that Air India announced on Saturday that it would provide an interim compensation of ₹25 lakh (approximately £21,000 or €24,500) to the only survivor, a 40-year-old Ramesh Viswashkumar and next of kin of the 241 passengers who died in the Ahmedabad plane crash.

This compensation amounts to over ₦43.5 million per recipient. This interim payout adds to the earlier commitment made by Tata Sons—the airline’s parent company—of ₹1 crore (roughly €98,000 or ₦177.6 million) per victim’s family. Combined, the total monetary support for each bereaved family now approaches ₦221 million.

Source: Legit.ng