Devastated relatives are providing DNA samples at local hospitals to help identify victims from the plane crash in Gujarat, western India on Thursday, desperately searching for answers on how this tragedy had happened.
The London-bound Air India Boeing 787-8 passenger plane crashed shortly after takeoff from the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad, about 17 km south of Gandhinagar, the capital city of Gujarat, with 241 of the 242 people on board confirmed dead and only one surviving.
"I received a call at around 13:30 to 14:00 in the afternoon and learned about the accident," said a family member of a victim.
"She (the victim) was taking the plane to go to her eldest daughter in London. She is the younger daughter and I am son-in-law. We come here to provide DNA to match hers. Our whole family is extremely sad," said another family member.
Following the accident, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation of India and the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau initiated a thorough investigation.
"My nephew, his wife, and their two children were killed. We can't understand how this could have happened, how?" said another family member of victims.
A black box was recovered on Thursday night local time. Preliminary data indicated that the plane did not take off normally, suggesting potential malfunctions in takeoff and landing systems.
Families of plane crash victims search for answers to tragedy
The combination of the Tianzhou-9 cargo spacecraft and a Long March-7 Y10 carrier rocket was vertically transferred to the launching area at the Wenchang Space Launch Site on Saturday, marking a key step ahead of its upcoming scheduled launch.
The cargo spacecraft will be launched at an appropriate time from the launch site in China's southern island province of Hainan in the coming days, according to the China Manned Space Agency.
The Wenchang Space Launch Site is located on the coast of the South China Sea, where July is typically hot and rainy. The Long March-7 carrier rocket, responsible for launching the cargo spacecraft, boasts a mature and highly reliable technology capable of withstanding complex weather conditions, according to the aerospace technicians.
"In terms of technical readiness, our rocket is not afraid of hot weather or moderate rainfall. As for the cargo spacecraft, it remains enclosed in the payload fairing. During transfer and after arrival at the pad, air-conditioning systems maintain a stable temperature and humidity environment to ensure the spacecraft stays in optimal condition," said Wang Xi, a technician with the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation.
The Tianzhou-9 will carry approximately 6.5 tonnes of supplies into orbit, including life-support materials for the Shenzhou-20 and Shenzhou-21 astronaut crews, two new sets of Feitian extravehicular spacesuits, a core muscle exercise device, and scientific payloads related to space medicine and other experimental fields.
"Once the combination reaches the launch tower, connections for gas, liquid, and electrical systems between the rocket and ground support equipment are restored. Then, we conduct essential tests. Tomorrow (On Sunday), we will perform a tank replacement for the propellant system and pressurize the necessary gas cylinders as part of the pre-launch preparations. Once the launch sequence begins, we'll proceed with fueling and carry out the remaining launch operations," said Wang.
Ground facilities are in good condition, and final pre-launch checks and joint tests will proceed as planned, following the vertical transfer, according to the China Manned Space Agency.
China's Tianzhou-9 cargo ship moved to launch area for final preps
