A shocking twist has emerged in the inquiry into the Air India crash in Ahmedabad, after a senior British judicial officer revealed that victims&rsquo; bodies arriving in the UK carried &ldquo;dangerously high&rdquo; concentrations of toxic chemicals. Professor Fiona Wilcox, leading the probe into the deaths of 53 British nationals killed in the June 12 Boeing 787 disaster, said mortuary staff were exposed to hazardous fumes the moment the coffins were opened.
Wilcox said the bodies arrived in London sealed in lined coffins and wrapped in materials soaked with what appeared to be nearly 40% formalin,&nbsp;an extremely potent preservative. Once unsealed, lethal levels of formalin, carbon monoxide and cyanide were detected in the mortuary, posing an immediate threat to personnel handling the remains. &ldquo;The hazard became apparent upon opening the coffins,&rdquo; her report noted, warning that mortuaries across the UK underestimate the dangers of formalin exposure.
The crash killed all but one of the 242 people on board, along with 19 people on the ground. The lone survivor, Vishwas Kumar Ramesh, was a British national of Indian origin. Wilcox said no inquests have begun yet, but issued an urgent Prevention of Future Deaths notice, saying the method of chemical preservation and transport created a &ldquo;serious risk&rdquo; requiring immediate systemic safeguards.
Following expert consultations, emergency mitigation measures including environmental monitoring and protective breathing equipment were deployed. Wilcox has asked the UK Departments of Health and Social Care and Housing to respond within 56 days. A government spokesperson called the findings &ldquo;deeply shocking&rdquo; and said officials would fully examine the report to prevent future hazards.

UK probe finds deadly chemicals in bodies from Ahmedabad crash

Toxins Found in Air India Crash Victims

UK probe finds deadly chemicals in bodies from Ahmedabad crash

December 4, 2025 | 15:01 IST