Air India plane crash leaves grieving families searching for answers

Australia Broadcast Center

a day ago

Inayat Saiyad sent his final message to the family WhatsApp group just after midday on Thursday.
"Boarding will start in a little while" he wrote in Hindi. "Thanks to all the family for making this trip enjoyable."
The 48-year-old software professional, his wife Nafisa, and their two children — 25-year-old Taskin and 22-year-old Vakee — were about to travel home to the United Kingdom after spending time with relatives in western India.
Inayat also sent the group what would his family's final photo together: a selfie of the four of them with a friend, laughing and smiling at the airport.
Minutes later, the Boeing 787 Dreamliner that the Saiyads were boarding — Air India Flight 171 to London — lifted off from Ahmedabad airport, only to plummet into a residential building seconds later. The explosion that followed was so intense, it killed all but one person on board.
The Saiyads' relatives found out about the crash from the news.
"I tried calling, but [Inayat's] phone was switched off," Inayat's brother Varis Saiyad told the ABC from his home in Ahmedabad.
At least 265 people were killed in the Ahmedabad plane crash, making it India's deadliest aviation disaster in decades.
After seeing the news, Varis and his family went to Ahmedabad Civil Hospital to try to search for the Saiyads. Their shock quickly turned to frustration and helplessness.
"There was no system in place there … no-one there to give information to us," Varis said.
"We waited from afternoon to 8pm … even now, we do not have any information about the bodies. Where are they?"
The government has set up a special DNA collection unit at Ahmedabad Civil Hospital to identify the dead, many of whom were burned beyond recognition or fragmented by the blast. Families have been told it could take up to 72 hours for results.
Nitin Sangwan, a senior government officer coordinating the effort, said teams were doing their best under extraordinary pressure.
"We are also very distressed," he told the ABC. "The government is making all the efforts: physically, emotionally — everything.
"We pray to God that they recover well."
Inayat, one of seven siblings, grew up in Ahmedabad and had migrated to the UK with Nafisa more than 20 years ago in search of opportunity.
He remained close with his family in India, returning once or twice a year to reconnect with his roots and his loved ones.
"My brother was a jolly person. He used to visit India for happy occasions and stay for one to two months," Varis said.
That optimism defined the family's final days in India.
"They celebrated [Islamic holiday] Bakrid with us, enjoyed time with my kids," said Inayat's sister-in-law, Saiyad Sumia Varis Husain, as she walked the ABC through the quiet, grief-filled family home.
"We dropped them at the airport together. My sister-in-law [Nafisa] and my niece [Taskin] hugged me before leaving and asked me to take care of myself and family."
Inayat had originally booked the family on a flight from Delhi. But just a day before departure, Air India cancelled it and offered a more convenient direct flight from Ahmedabad instead.
"It would be better if they hadn't switched flights," Varis said quietly, wiping away tears.
The crash, reportedly caused just moments after take-off, turned the Dreamliner into a fireball.
The plane had only climbed to 625 feet when it veered off course and slammed into the hostel of BJ Medical College, where students were sitting down for lunch.
The aircraft was carrying 125,000 litres of fuel, Home Minister Amit Shah said. The blast left buildings scorched, limbs unrecognisable and survival nearly impossible.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the crash site on Friday and met with the sole survivor.
Air accident investigators from the US and UK have arrived in India to support the probe, which India's civil aviation ministry says will be "fair and thorough".
On Friday, investigators recovered key evidence from the site of India's worst plane crash in decades. A black box was found on the rooftop of the hostel the plane crashed into. It's now with forensic teams, who hope the device will help explain why the aircraft fell from the sky moments after take-off.
The aviation watchdog has also ordered sweeping safety checks of Air India's Dreamliner fleet, covering everything from fuel systems to engine controls.
Officials warned the death toll could rise as emergency teams combed through the wreckage. In addition to the flight passengers and crew, locals also died after the plane crashed into the residential area.
In the Saiyad home in Ahmedabad, the grief lingers in every corner — empty rooms, fresh laundry, paintings by Taskin.
"Inayat's mother is 85 years old, she is still in shock," Saiyad Sumia Varis Husain said.
"She is not able to accept it. Just a day before they happily say goodbye to her, they took a selfie."