Grief-stricken families are still waiting for the remains of their loved ones following last Thursday’s devastating Air India crash, one of the worst aviation disasters in recent decades.
While a few families have begun receiving the bodies of the victims, the majority remain in anguish as DNA identification drags on. Health officials confirmed that 80 of the 279 victims have been positively identified so far.
The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, en route to London, crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, killing all but one of the 242 people onboard. The crash also claimed at least 38 lives on the ground when the jet slammed into a residential area used by medical staff.
“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 elder brother was aboard the ill-fated flight. “My brother was the sole breadwinner. So what happens next?”
On Sunday, mourners gathered at a local crematorium for a funeral ceremony for Megha Mehta, a passenger who had been working in London. Around 20 to 30 people attended, chanting prayers amid tears and silence.
Dr. Rajnish Patel of Ahmedabad’s civil hospital emphasized the painstaking process of identifying remains. “This is a meticulous and slow process, so it has to be done meticulously only,” he said.
Witnesses described horrific scenes of charred remains and scattered body parts, prompting authorities to advise families not to open coffins upon delivery. Cleanup operations continued on Sunday, with police inspecting the crash site for further evidence.
Air India confirmed that the flight carried 169 Indian nationals, 53 British citizens, seven Portuguese, one Canadian, and 12 crew members. The lone survivor, British citizen Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, was pulled from the wreckage. His brother, however, was among the deceased.
Authorities are yet to determine the cause of the crash. Both black boxes have been recovered, with the cockpit voice recorder found on Sunday. Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu said data from the flight recorders would provide “an in-depth insight” into the circumstances of the disaster.
Families, meanwhile, are demanding answers and support. “I’m disappointed in them,” said Imtiyaz Ali, still awaiting DNA confirmation for his brother’s body. “It is their duty. We need to know why this happened.”
Written By Rodney Mbua
