‘Gave her a hug': Brother speaks about his last interaction with sister before Air India plane crash

Mint

3 days ago

Rupal Patel lost her life in the Air India plane crash on June 12 in Ahmedabad. The 45-year-old woman was London-based and came to India for medical treatment. She returned to her maternal home in Uttarsanda village, Nadiad.
Rupal had been living in London with her husband and three children for the past 15 years. The woman is survived by her husband, 13-year-old son and 7-year-old twin daughters. They have left for India, Pawan informed.
Her brother, Pawan Patel, spoke about his final moments with her. He had gone to Ahmedabad Airport to drop her off for her return flight.
'She was suffering from a medical condition. I helped her with her luggage and gave her a hug at the end. I asked her to take care of herself,' ANI quoted Patel as saying.
Just after reaching home, he heard that the flight had crashed. Rupal was among the 241 passengers who lost their lives in the Air India plane crash.
Her family and community are in deep shock and mourning. The news has left many shaken, especially those who had just seen her before the journey that ended in tragedy.
'My DNA sample has been collected, and I have been told that the report will come after 72 hours," Patel added.
Rupal Patel's sister-in-law, Heena Patel, said that Rupal had been residing with their family during her stay.
Just after taking off from Runway 23, Air India flight 171, a Boeing 787-8, crashed shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad's Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport.
In a miraculous turn, one person has survived the crash. The airline confirmed that the survivor is a British national of Indian origin.
The man apparently jumped off the emergency exit just before the crash. In a video that is doing the round on social media, he is seen walking to an ambulance.
However, the Air India plane crash left no other survivor.
Tata Group, which owns Air India, has announced a compensation of ₹ 1 crore for the families of each person who died in the accident. The incident has left the nation in shock.
Investigations are now underway to find out what caused the crash. The plane crashed into a resident doctors' hostel building near the airport. It was lunchtime, and around 60 junior doctors were having their meal.
The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has deployed seven teams at the crash site. NDRF Inspector Vinay Kumar confirmed that 81 bodies had been recovered so far, ANI reported.
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has launched a formal probe. It works under the Ministry of Civil Aviation and investigates major plane accidents in India.