INDIA MOURNS AFTER DEVASTATING AIR INDIA CRASH AS FAMILIES AWAIT DNA IDENTIFICATIONS
Read Time:2 Minute, 30 Second
By Aishat Momoh. O.
Indian authorities have begun returning the remains of victims to grieving families after one of the deadliest air disasters in recent aviation history. The crash of an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner in Ahmedabad last Thursday claimed 279 lives, including 38 residents on the ground, leaving hundreds of families devastated and many still waiting for answers.
Among the 242 passengers and crew on board the London-bound flight, only one person survived. British citizen Vishwash Kumar Ramesh miraculously escaped the wreckage, though his brother perished in the crash.
The tragedy has overwhelmed morgues and medical personnel in Ahmedabad, where DNA testing is underway to identify victims. Dr. Rajnish Patel of the city’s civil hospital confirmed that 80 victims had been identified as of late Sunday. “This is a meticulous and slow process,” he said, urging patience from grieving families.
For many, that wait has become agonizing. “They said it would take 48 hours. But it’s been four days and we haven’t received any response,” said Rinal Christian, 23, whose older brother was on the flight. “He was the sole breadwinner of the family. So what happens next?”
Among the confirmed victims is Vijay Rupani, a senior figure in India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and former Chief Minister of Gujarat. His body, draped in the national flag, was carried in a solemn procession by soldiers in Ahmedabad on Sunday.
Elsewhere, in Anand district, mourners gathered for the funeral of 24-year-old Kinal Mistry, who had tragically delayed her original flight. “She would have been alive,” lamented her father, Suresh Mistry.
Air India confirmed the flight carried 169 Indian nationals, 53 British citizens, seven Portuguese, one Canadian, and 12 crew members. Officials have cautioned families not to open the coffins due to the extent of the burns and trauma suffered by the victims.
Eyewitnesses described the scene as harrowing, with bodies charred beyond recognition and debris scattered across a residential area. The jetliner erupted into a fireball moments after takeoff, crashing into a complex used by medical staff.
Recovery teams in yellow hard hats continued clearing the crash site over the weekend. Investigators retrieved the second black box — the cockpit voice recorder — on Sunday, which is expected to offer critical insight into the moments leading up to the crash. The flight data recorder had already been recovered.
Indian Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu expressed hope that data from the black boxes would help establish the cause of the accident. In the meantime, authorities have ordered inspections of all Air India Dreamliners.
Tensions have risen among families of the victims, who accuse the airline of responding too slowly. “I’m disappointed in them. It is their duty,” said Imtiyaz Ali, who is still awaiting confirmation of his brother’s fate.
The crash has sent shockwaves through India and the international aviation community, sparking calls for tighter oversight and transparency. As the investigation continues, families across the globe wait for answers—and closure.
Happy
0 %
Sad
100 %
Excited
0 %
Sleepy
0 %
Angry
0 %
Surprise
0 %
1
0