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Powys County Times
3 hours ago
- Powys County Times
Mother of Air India crash victim ‘heartbroken' after remains wrongly identified
The mother of a British Air India crash victim has said her family is 'heartbroken' after receiving news the remains of her son were wrongly identified, The Sunday Times reported. The London-bound Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed into a medical college shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad Airport on June 12, killing 241 people on board. Some 169 Indian passengers and 52 British nationals were killed, making it one of the deadliest plane crashes in terms of the number of British fatalities. Among the British victims were Fiongal Greenlaw-Meek, 39, and his husband Jamie, 45, who had been returning to Britain after celebrating their wedding anniversary in India. Mr Greenlaw-Meek's mother, Amanda Donaghey, told The Sunday Times she flew to India after the crash in order to find her son's remains, providing a DNA sample at Ahmedabad's Civil Hospital to assist the identification process. Following a match on June 20 last year, she returned to the UK with Mr Greenlaw-Meek's coffin. But on July 5, as Mr Greenlaw-Meek and his husband's families prepared to bury the married couple together, police told Ms Donaghey that DNA tests carried out in the UK showed Mr Greenlaw-Meek's remains were not in the coffin. 'We don't know what poor person is in that casket,' she told The Sunday Times. 'I had my doubts but to be told that was heartbreaking. 'This is an appalling thing to have happened,' she added. 'And we would now like the British Gvernment to do everything in its power to find out, and bring Fiongal home.' It was revealed last week the coffin of another repatriated British victim, 71-year-old Shobhana Patel, contained remains of multiple people, The Sunday Times reported. Mrs Patel was killed alongside her husband Ashok, 74, as they returned to the UK from a Hindu religious trip. Their son Miten Patel told The Sunday Times: 'There may have been a mistake done. 'But for religious reasons we need to make sure my mother is my mother and not somebody else's remains. 'Knowing 100% that it is my mum is very important to us.' Shobhana and Ashok Patel were laid to rest last week, The Sunday Times said. International aviation lawyer James Healey-Pratt, whose firm Keystone Law is representing families of victims of the Air India crash, has told Times Radio the identification issues have raised concerns over the total number of victims whose identities may have been misattributed. 'We know that 12 caskets were repatriated from India to the UK,' he said. 'Of those 12, two had been mishandled, misidentified. 'And so if you extrapolate that sample, you're looking at 40 mishandled remains out of 240. 'So that's a very large number, but we simply don't know. 'And to date, the Indian authorities have not been transparent or helpful about that, which is why there was pressure put on by the families to the FCO and the Prime Minister's office. 'And this was actually mentioned in the meeting at Chequers between Keir Starmer and Prime Minister Modi on Thursday. 'So the families are waiting to hear, first thing next week, about what actions are really being done in India to provide some degree of assurance.' It is understood no blame is being put on any UK agency for the blunders, Mr Healy-Pratt previously told the PA news agency. The only surviving passenger on the plane was Briton Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, who previously told The Sun it was a 'miracle' he was alive but felt 'terrible' he could not save his brother Ajay. A preliminary report into the incident from India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau found both of the plane's fuel switches moved to the 'cut-off' position 'immediately' after take-off, stopping fuel supply to the engine.
The Independent
2 days ago
- The Independent
Four children killed and 17 injured after roof collapses at Indian school
At least four children were killed and 17 injured after the roof of a primary school collapsed in western India on Friday morning. The tragedy struck at around 8.30am local time, at the Government Higher Primary School in Piplodi village in Jhalawar district of Rajasthan state, as students assembled for morning prayers. According to district officials, the roof of one of the classrooms suddenly gave way, burying the children under debris. At least 17 children were injured, some critically, and several were feared trapped under the rubble. The school building was reportedly in a dilapidated condition. Villagers were said to have repeatedly complained about its structural integrity, most recently after days of rain were feared to have weakened the roof, and authorities said the building's upkeep would form a key part of the investigation into the incident. Footage from the site showed desperate scenes of panic and urgency as villagers and teachers dug through the rubble with their bare hands, later aided by rescue personnel, cranes, and backhoes. The rescue operation concluded within hours, with many students pulled out alive. Assistant sub inspector Abdul Hakim from the Dangipura police station told The Indian Express that the children who died were aged between 14 and 16. Police superintendent Amit Kumar confirmed to the news agency PTI that 10 of the injured children had been sent to the district hospital in Jhalawar, at least four in critical condition. The rest were treated at nearby health centres. Rajasthan's education minister ordered a high-level investigation. 'A very unfortunate incident occurred in Piplodi village in Jhalawar where roof of a school collapsed,' Madan Dilawar said. 'I have instructed the district collector and education officer to make all kinds of arrangements for treatment,' he told local media. Mr Dilawar said the building's condition and whether prior structural audits had been carried out would be key aspects of the investigation. 'I have directed the zilla (district) authorities to make proper arrangements and to oversee the injured children's treatment, and to ensure they do not face any kind of difficulties,' he said. Rajasthan's chief minister, Bhajanlal Sharma, described the incident as 'extremely painful and tragic'. 'Concerned officials have been directed to ensure best possible treatment for the injured children. May God grant peace to the departed souls and give strength to the bereaved families,' he said. Indian prime minister Narendra Modi said the 'mishap' in Jhalawar was 'tragic and deeply saddening'. 'My thoughts are with the affected students and their families in this difficult hour,' he said on X. 'Praying for the speedy recovery of the injured. Authorities are providing all possible assistance to those affected.' Former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot added his voice to the chorus of concern, noting that 'several children and teachers were injured due to the collapse of a government school building' and offered prayers for the speedy recovery of the injured. There were an estimated 60 individuals on the school premises at the time of the collapse, Station House Officer Vijendra Singh at the Dangipura police station said.
Scottish Sun
4 days ago
- Scottish Sun
Air India crash victim's family furious after someone else's remains were also sent home in casket
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THE family of a mum killed in the Air India crash has blasted Indian authorities after someone else's remains were also sent home in her casket. NHS microbiologist Shobhana Patel, 71, died with her husband Ashok, 74, in the crash in June. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 Shobhana Patel, 71, died with her husband Ashok, 74, in June's Air India crash Credit: Supplied 2 The crash killed 260 people Credit: Alamy The couple, from Orpington, Kent, were repatriated in different coffins but DNA tests in Britain found other body parts along with Shobhana's. Her son Miten, 40, said: 'I have no idea if the other remains were from more than one person.' One family was sent the wrong body entirely. India's Ministry of External Affairs said: 'All remains were handled with professionalism.' READ MORE ON AIR INDIA CRASH 'BODY MIX-UP' Brit Air India families 'sent the WRONG bodies' after crash killed 260 Lawyer James Healy-Pratt, representing around 20 families, said: 'They have been left in limbo. 'They have no-one to bury because the wrong body was in the casket.' It is thought that only Indian authorities carried out DNA tests on victims with no input from any international agency. Mr Healy-Prat added: 'I am hearing that it was Indian authorities alone who identified remains and then placed them in caskets. 'The families want assurances that their loved ones have not been left behind somewhere in India because they don't have confidence in the system. 'They have had the terrible shock of losing a loved one and then they go through more trauma when they learn it is not only their loved one in the casket, or it may not be their loved one at all.'
