Filmmaker Missing After Air India Crash, Family Fears He May Be Among Victims On Ground
Last Updated:
Filmmaker Mahesh Kalawadia went missing minutes after an Air India crash in Ahmedabad, with his last phone location traced near the site. His family has submitted DNA samples.
Filmmaker Mahesh Kalawadia, also known as Mahesh Jirawala, has been missing since the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad on June 12.
According to the details, his phone location was last traced to just 700 metres away from the horrific Air India plane crash site, following which, his family has submitted DNA samples.
His wife, Hetal, said Mahesh, a resident of Naroda, had gone to meet someone at the Law Garden area that afternoon.
'My husband called me at 1.14 pm to tell me his meeting is over and that he is on his way home. However, when he did not return, I called up his phone, but it was switched off. After the police were informed, the last location of his mobile phone showed he was 700 metres away from the crash site," news agency PTI quoted her as saying.
'His phone got switched off around 1:40 pm (a minute after the ill-fated flight took off). His scooter and mobile phone are missing. All this is unusual since he would never use that route (as per the last location) to come home," she said.
'We have submitted DNA samples to check if he was one of those killed on the ground due to the crash," Hetal added.
The Air India aircraft crashed into the premises of a medical college in Meghaninagar area, moments after taking off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport at 1:39 pm on June 12, killing 241 out of 242 on board as well as 29 on the ground.
Since many of the bodies were burnt beyond recognition or damaged otherwise, authorities were carrying out DNA tests to establish the identity of the victims of the horrific tragedy.
Three days after the tragic crash of Air India flight AI-171 in Ahmedabad, which has so far claimed 270 lives, hospital authorities confirmed on Sunday the identification of 47 victims through DNA matching.
Authorities have handed over 24 bodies to the victims' families, they added.
First Published:
June 16, 2025, 07:22 IST
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scroll.in
26 minutes ago
- Scroll.in
Ahmedabad plane crash: DNA confirms identities of 87 of those killed
The identities of 87 persons who died in the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad on June 12 have been confirmed through DNA testing, PTI quoted an official as saying on Monday. The bodies of 57 persons have been handed over to their families after the identification, said Dr Rajnish Patel, professor of surgery at BJ Medical College and Civil Hospital in Ahmedabad. On Sunday, the civil hospital confirmed that the body of Gujarat's former Chief Minister Vijay Rupani had also been identified through the DNA test. The body was handed over to his family on Monday. Rupani was among the 242 persons aboard the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft – enroute to London's Gatwick airport from Ahmedabad – that crashed just 33 seconds after taking off. Only one passenger survived with ' impact injuries '. The aircraft's crash into the hostel building of the BJ Medical College also killed at least four medical students on the ground. This is being viewed as the world's worst aviation disaster in a decade. Though the number of persons killed on the ground has yet to be ascertained, the civil hospital said on Sunday that 250 samples, including those of persons killed on the ground, have been collected for identification, reported PTI. Meanwhile, a high-level panel constituted to probe the accident will likely hold its first meeting on Monday, The Indian Express reported.
India Gazette
30 minutes ago
- India Gazette
"Former Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani's agni sanskar to be performed at Ramnathpara today": Crematorium Chairman
Rajkot (Gujarat) [India], June 16 (ANI): The 'agni sanskar' of former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani will be performed at the Ramnathpara crematorium in Rajkot on Monday evening, with the funeral procession scheduled to begin from his residence at 5 pm. Speaking to ANI, the Chairman of Ramnathpara crematorium said, 'The 'agni sanskar' of Vijay Rupani will be performed here. The 'agni sanskar' will be performed around 6 pm, and the procession will begin at 5 pm from his residence.' Rupani's mortal remains are being transported from Ahmedabad to Rajkot by air. According to officials, the body was received from the Ahmedabad Civil Hospital mortuary at around 11:30 am and is expected to reach Rajkot by 2 pm. The Tricolour is being brought to the Civil Hospital mortuary in Ahmedabad to be draped over his mortal remains. Around 2,000 kilograms of flowers will be used to decorate the hearse van that will carry the body of the former Chief Minister. Rupani was among the 241 who died when the London-bound Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed shortly after takeoff, colliding with a doctor's hostel complex near Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. His identity was confirmed through DNA testing, hospital authorities said, hospital officials said. Dr Rajnish Patel, Additional Superintendent of Ahmedabad Civil Hospital, said Rupani was among the 87 individuals whose identities were confirmed through DNA testing. A total of 92 DNA matches have been completed, accounting for duplication in remains. So far, 47 bodies have been dispatched to various districts. 'Of the bodies brought to Civil Hospital, DNA matching of 92 (body remains) is completed, of this (the number of) individuals is 87 because there is duplication. 47 bodies have been dispatched from have been dispatched to Kheda, Ahmedabad, Kota, Mahesana, Bharuch, Vadodara, Aravalli, Anand, Junagarh, Bhavnagar, Amreli, Mahisagar and Bhavnagar,' Dr Patel said. The state government and hospital authorities continued their efforts to identify the deceased through DNA testing. He added that the relatives of two more victims were expected to arrive Monday night, while 13 families were scheduled to collect the bodies on Tuesday. For 21 victims, family members would take the bodies after further consultations. In the case of 11 victims, their relatives were also among the crash victims, and the bodies would be released once the remaining DNA matches were completed. So far, the bodies of victims have been returned to families in several regions, as 12 victims from Ahmedabad, five from Baroda, four from Mehsana, four from Anand, two from Kheda, two from Bharuch, one from Udaipur, one from Jodhpur, one from Botad and the last one from Aravalli. Dr Patel highlighted that the state government had assigned a special team for each deceased person's family: a senior officer, a police official, and a professional counsellor. These teams were responsible for supporting the families emotionally and logistically through the identification and handover process. As the identification process continued, authorities assured each body would be handed over with full respect and dignity. Meanwhile, in the Ahmedabad plane crash, out of the 242 people involved, the sole survivor, Vishwashkumar Ramesh, a British national of Indian origin, is currently undergoing treatment for his injuries. Additionally, at least 33 others, including local residents and MBBS students, lost their lives on the ground. (ANI)
India Gazette
30 minutes ago
- India Gazette
"Was it maintenance failure?" CPI's D Raja seeks objective probe into Air India plane crash
New Delhi [India], June 16 (ANI): CPI General Secretary D Raja on Monday demanded an objective investigation into the Air India passenger plane crash in Ahmedabad, questioning whether the accident resulted from aircraft maintenance failures, airport mismanagement, or runway issues. 'What happened in Ahmedabad was a tragic accident -- a very tragic incident involving Air India. The Dreamliner and Air India as a whole are considered the pride of the nation. How could such an accident happen? Was there a failure in aircraft maintenance, airport or runway management? We don't know yet,' Raja told ANI. 'The government has ordered a high-level inquiry, and that inquiry must carry out an objective investigation to find the cause -- whether it was a technical issue or a ground maintenance failure,' he added. Earlier in the day, a team from Boeing and the officials of the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) arrived in Ahmedabad to inspect the site of the Air India plane crash. An investigation is underway to find the reasons that led to the tragic incident on June 12. The London-bound Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft crashed into a hostel complex shortly after takeoff from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on June 12, killing 241 passengers and crew, including former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani. Earlier today, an expert from the UK who reached the Air India Plane Crash site in Ahmedabad to conduct an inspection, said, 'Maybe we will be able to speak saw what you guys can just the same, as you can see from here.' Meanwhile, the Additional Medical Superintendent of Ahmedabad's Civil Hospital said on Monday that the DNA sample matches in the Air India plane crash have reached 92, corresponding to 87 individuals, due to some duplication. Speaking to the media, Dr Rajnish Patel said that 47 bodies have been dispatched to various districts so far. 'Of the bodies brought to Civil Hospital, DNA matching of 92 (body remains) is completed, of this (the number of) individuals is 87 because there is duplication. 47 bodies have been dispatched from have been dispatched to Kheda, Ahmedabad, Kota, Mahesana, Bharuch, Vadodara, Aravalli, Anand, Junagarh, Bhavnagar, Amreli, Mahisagar and Bhavnagar,' Dr Patel said. (ANI)
