Two Manipur women among cabin crew of Air India flight that crashed in Ahmedabad

India Today

21 hours ago

Two women from Manipur are among the crew members aboard the ill-fated Air India Flight AI171, which crashed shortly after takeoff in Ahmedabad.Kongbrailatpam Nganthoi Sharma and Singson Lamnunthem are among 12 crew members of the flight that was headed to London's Gatwick. The ill-fated aircraft was carrying 242 people, of whom only one survived, miraculously.Nganthoi Sharma is a resident of Thoubal district. While Singson, who originally belongs to Old Lambulane in Imphal West, has been residing in Kangpokpi district due to the ongoing ethnic conflict in the state.advertisement
Manipur has been reeling from communal violence between the Meitei and Kuki communities since May 3, 2023, a conflict that has left over 250 dead and displaced more than 60,000 people. Both Sharma and Lamnunthem's families have been affected by the unrest.Speaking to IndiaToday, Goulun Singson, a relative of Lamnunthem, said, 'Our family last spoke to her on Wednesday. She said she was flying to London. That was the last time we heard from her. She joined Air India as cabin crew in 2023. Due to the Manipur crisis, our family, along with her, was displaced and is now staying in Kangpokpi.'He added that the family remains in anguish, anxiously awaiting news about her status.In Thoubal district, grief filled the home of Kongbrailatpam Nganthoi Sharma. When media teams arrived, emotional family members refrained from commenting. A relative quietly asked, 'Are you here for Nganthoi's death?' before declining to speak further.advertisementLocal MLA Surjakumar Okram visited Sharma's residence and told reporters, 'We are still trying to trace Nganthoi. We are waiting for official confirmation from Air India and government authorities on her status.'Former Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh, calling the incident heartbreaking, wrote on X, "I am deeply shocked and grieved by the tragic Air India flight crash near Meghaninagar, Ahmedabad, this afternoon... This heartbreaking incident has shaken the entire nation. My thoughts and prayers are with all those on board and their families during this unimaginably difficult time."Air India, in a statement, confirmed that Flight AI171 departed at 13:38 IST, carrying nationals of several countries, including 169 Indians, 53 British, one Canadian, and seven Portuguese passengers. At least two infants were also on board.The airline stated that injured passengers were being transported to nearby hospitals and affirmed full cooperation with aviation authorities in the ongoing investigation.Union Home Minister Amit Shah took stock of the crash site and met the injured as well as the lone survivor in Ahmedabad this evening.He said that almost all the bodies have been recovered.Final number of casualties are yet to be confirmed.Trending Reel