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Khaleej Times
2 hours ago
- General
- Khaleej Times
Video: Families hold funerals for Air India crash victims, bid farewell to loved ones
A mother's cries echoed through the narrow alleys of a Mumbai locality as she begged her child to forgive her. Her daughter, who can no longer hear her, was one of the cabin crew in the Air India plane that tragically crashed in Ahmedabad on June 12, leaving the nation stunned. Saineeta Chakravarti's final remains were handed over to her family in Juhu Koliwada as the sky poured upon the quiet grieving crowd. "She would always check about our health before leaving for the airport," her mother told Times of India a day after the crash, still in disbelief over her daughter's passing at the time. "Even if her shift started at 4 in the morning. She would say, 'Ma, you always take care of me. Let me do the same for you sometimes." Maharashtra: The mortal remains of crew member Saineeta Chakravarti, who died in the Ahmedabad plane crash, were handed over to her family at her residence in the Juhu Koliwada area — IANS (@ians_india) June 16, 2025 Families of victims of the deadly Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad have been holding funerals, bidding farewell to their loved ones on the fifth day after the incident took place on June 12, as officials return remains of victims. While mourners have held funerals for some of the 279 people killed, others are facing an anguished wait as many families were still waiting Monday for results of DNA testing. At a crematorium in the city, around 20 to 30 mourners chanted prayers in a funeral ceremony for Megha Mehta, a passenger who had been working in London. As of late Sunday, 80 crash victims had been identified, according to Rajnish Patel, a doctor at Ahmedabad's civil hospital. In Lunawada, Gujarat, a family received the mortal remains of Dr Nirali Patel, who lost her life in the plane crash. Mahisagar, Gujarat: The mortal remains of Dr. Nirali Patel, who lost her life in the Ahmedabad plane crash, were brought to Lunawada — IANS (@ians_india) June 16, 2025 Nirali, the only Canadian on the flight, is now survived by her husband and 1-year-old daughter. Nirali had flown down to India for a couple of days before planning to go back to Canada, a home she never made it back t. Her husband and daughter were reported to have flown back for her final rites. Meanwhile in Gandhinagar, families, local residents and police officials conducted the final rites of a couple v Brahmbhatt and Kalyani Brahmbhatt, who died side by side in the tragic crash. The couple, who were on their way to the UK, have left behind two children aged 12 and 16, as per media reports. Gaurav Brahmbhatt was the co-founder and business head for a British-based company. The mortal remains of the two were cremated at Sector 30 Mukti Dham. #WATCH | Mortal remains of passengers Gaurav Brahmbhatt and Kalyani Brahmbhatt, who lost their lives in the tragic Air India plane crash, brought to their residence in Gandhinagar, Gujarat — ANI (@ANI) June 16, 2025 Gujarat: A couple from Gandhinagar, Gaurav Bhai and Kalyani Ben, who died in the Ahmedabad plane crash, were cremated today at Sector 30 Mukti Dham. Their bodies were brought from Sector 20. Local residents and police officials were present during the final rites — IANS (@ians_india) June 16, 2025 The state of Gujarat also mourned the loss of its former Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, who died in the plane crash, performing his final rites with full state honour. Many key politicians came down to the location to pay their respects to the public figure. Rupani's wife was seen bidding an emotional farewell to her husband. #WATCH | Ahmedabad | Former CM Vijay Rupani's wife, Anjali Rupani, bids an emotional farewell to her husband — ANI (@ANI) June 16, 2025 There was one survivor out of 242 passengers and crew on board the London-bound plane Thursday when it slammed into a residential area of Ahmedabad, killing at least 38 people on the ground as well. One victim's relative who did not want to be named told AFP they had been instructed not to open the coffin when they receive it. Witnesses reported seeing badly burnt bodies and scattered remains. Workers went on clearing debris from the site on Sunday, while police inspected the area. The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner erupted into a fireball when it went down moments after takeoff, smashing into buildings used by medical staff. Air India said there were 169 Indian passengers, 53 British, seven Portuguese and a Canadian on board the flight, as well as 12 crew members. 'We need to know' Indian authorities have yet to identify the cause of the disaster and have ordered inspections of Air India's Dreamliners. Authorities announced Sunday that the second black box, the cockpit voice recorder, had been recovered. This may offer investigators more clues about what went wrong. Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu said Saturday he hoped decoding the first black box, the flight data recorder, would "give an in-depth insight" into the circumstances of the crash. One person escaped alive from the wreckage, British citizen Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, whose brother was also on the flight. Imtiyaz Ali, who was still waiting for a DNA match to find his brother, said the airline should have supported families faster. "I'm disappointed in them. It is their duty," said Ali, who was contacted by the airline on Saturday. "Next step is to find out the reason for this accident. We need to know," he told AFP.
Free Malaysia Today
5 hours ago
- General
- Free Malaysia Today
Relatives wait for remains after Air India crash
Relatives grieve beside coffins holding Air India crash victims' remains outside their home in Ahmedabad. (AP pic) AHMEDABAD : Indian health officials have begun handing relatives the bodies of their loved ones after one of the world's worst plane crashes in decades, but most families were still waiting Monday for results of DNA testing. While mourners have held funerals for some of the 279 people killed when the Air India jet crashed in the western city of Ahmedabad, others are facing an anguished wait. 'They said it would take 48 hours. But it's been four days and we haven't received any response,' said Rinal Christian, 23, whose elder brother was a passenger on the jetliner. There was one survivor out of 242 passengers and crew on board the London-bound plane Thursday when it slammed into a residential area of Ahmedabad, killing at least 38 people on the ground as well. 'My brother was the sole breadwinner of the family,' Christian said Sunday. 'So what happens next?' At a crematorium in the city, around 20 to 30 mourners chanted prayers in a funeral ceremony for Megha Mehta, a passenger who had been working in London. As of late Sunday, 80 crash victims had been identified, according to Rajnish Patel, a doctor at Ahmedabad's civil hospital. 'This is a meticulous and slow process, so it has to be done meticulously only,' Patel said. One victim's relative who did not want to be named told AFP they had been instructed not to open the coffin when they receive it. Witnesses reported seeing badly burnt bodies and scattered remains. Workers went on clearing debris from the site on Sunday, while police inspected the area. The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner erupted into a fireball when it went down moments after takeoff, smashing into buildings used by medical staff. Air India said there were 169 Indian passengers, 53 British, seven Portuguese and a Canadian on board the flight, as well as 12 crew members. 'We need to know' Indian authorities have yet to identify the cause of the disaster and have ordered inspections of Air India's Dreamliners. Authorities announced Sunday that the second black box, the cockpit voice recorder, had been recovered. This may offer investigators more clues about what went wrong. Aviation minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu said Saturday he hoped decoding the first black box, the flight data recorder, would 'give an in-depth insight' into the circumstances of the crash. One person escaped alive from the wreckage, British citizen Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, whose brother was also on the flight. Imtiyaz Ali, who was still waiting for a DNA match to find his brother, said the airline should have supported families faster. 'I'm disappointed in them. It is their duty,' said Ali, who was contacted by the airline on Saturday. 'Next step is to find out the reason for this accident. We need to know,' he told AFP.
CNA
5 hours ago
- General
- CNA
Relatives wait for remains after Air India crash
AHMEDABAD: Indian health officials have begun handing relatives the bodies of their loved ones after one of the world's worst plane crashes in decades, but most families were still waiting Monday (Jun 16) for results of DNA testing. While mourners have held funerals for some of the 279 people killed when the Air India jet crashed in the western city of Ahmedabad, others are facing an anguished wait. "They said it would take 48 hours. But it's been four days and we haven't received any response," said Rinal Christian, 23, whose elder brother was a passenger on the jetliner. There was one survivor out of 242 passengers and crew on board the London-bound plane Thursday when it slammed into a residential area of Ahmedabad, killing at least 38 people on the ground as well. "My brother was the sole breadwinner of the family," Christian said Sunday. "So what happens next?" At a crematorium in the city, around 20 to 30 mourners chanted prayers in a funeral ceremony for Megha Mehta, a passenger who had been working in London. As of late Sunday, 80 crash victims had been identified, according to Rajnish Patel, a doctor at Ahmedabad's civil hospital. "This is a meticulous and slow process, so it has to be done meticulously only," Patel said. One victim's relative, who did not want to be named, told AFP they had been instructed not to open the coffin when they receive it. Witnesses reported seeing badly burnt bodies and scattered remains. Workers went on clearing debris from the site on Sunday, while police inspected the area. The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner erupted into a fireball when it went down moments after take-off, smashing into buildings used by medical staff. Air India said there were 169 Indian passengers, 53 British, seven Portuguese and a Canadian on board the flight, as well as 12 crew members. "WE NEED TO KNOW" Indian authorities have yet to identify the cause of the disaster and have ordered inspections of Air India's Dreamliners. Authorities announced Sunday that the second black box, the cockpit voice recorder, had been recovered. This may offer investigators more clues about what went wrong. Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu said Saturday he hoped decoding the first black box, the flight data recorder, would "give an in-depth insight" into the circumstances of the crash. One person escaped alive from the wreckage, British citizen Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, whose brother was also on the flight. Imtiyaz Ali, who was still waiting for a DNA match to find his brother, said the airline should have supported families faster. "I'm disappointed in them. It is their duty," said Ali, who was contacted by the airline on Saturday.
ABC News
12 hours ago
- General
- ABC News
Funerals held as Air India crash victim remains handed over to relatives in Ahmedabad
Mourners in India have covered white coffins with flowers as funerals were held for some of the at least 279 people killed in one of the world's worst plane crashes in decades. Health officials have begun handing over the first passenger bodies identified through DNA testing, delivering them to grieving relatives in the western city of Ahmedabad, but the wait went on for most families. "They said it would take 48 hours. But it's been four days and we haven't received any response," said Rinal Christian, 23, whose elder brother was a passenger on the jetliner. There was one survivor out of 242 passengers and crew on board the London-bound Air India jet when it crashed on Thursday into a residential area of Ahmedabad, killing at least 38 people on the ground as well. "My brother was the sole breadwinner of the family," Mr Christian said. "So what happens next?" At a crematorium in the city, about 20 to 30 mourners chanted prayers in a funeral ceremony for Megha Mehta, a passenger who had been working in London. As of Sunday evening (India time), 47 crash victims had been identified, according to Rajnish Patel, a doctor at Ahmedabad's civil hospital. "This is a meticulous and slow process, so it has to be done meticulously only," Dr Patel said. One victim's relative who did not want to be named said they had been instructed not to open the coffin when they receive it. Witnesses reported seeing badly burnt bodies and scattered remains. Workers went on clearing debris from the site on Sunday, while police inspected the area. The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner erupted into a fireball when it went down moments after take-off, smashing into buildings used by medical staff. The majority of those injured on the ground have been discharged, Dr Patel said, with one or two remaining in critical care. Indian authorities have yet to identify the cause of the disaster and have ordered inspections of Air India's Dreamliners. Investigators announced they had recovered the plane's digital flight data recorder, or the black box, from a rooftop near the crash site. The device is expected to reveal information about the engine and control settings, while the voice recorder will provide cockpit conversations, said Paul Fromme, a mechanical engineer with the UK-based Institution of Mechanical Engineers. India's Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu said he hoped decoding the first black box, the flight data recorder, would "give an in-depth insight" into the circumstances of the crash. Alongside the formal investigation, the Indian government has set up a high-level committee to examine the causes leading to the crash. The committee will focus on formulating procedures to prevent and handle aircraft emergencies in the future, the Ministry of Civil Aviation said in a statement on Saturday. Authorities have also begun inspecting Air India's entire fleet of Boeing 787 Dreamliners, Minister of Civil Aviation Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu said on Saturday in New Delhi at his first news briefing since Thursday's crash. Eight of the 34 Dreamliners in India have already undergone inspection, Mr Kinjarapu said, adding that the remaining aircraft will be examined with "immediate urgency". The plane that crashed was 12 years old. Boeing planes have been plagued by safety issues on other types of aircraft. There are currently about 1,200 of the 787 Dreamliner aircraft worldwide and this was the first deadly crash in 16 years of operation, according to experts. Imtiyaz Ali, who was still waiting for a DNA match to find his brother, said the airline should have supported families faster. "I'm disappointed in them. It is their duty," said Mr Ali, who was contacted by the airline on Saturday. "Next step is to find out the reason for this accident. We need to know." One person escaped alive from the wreckage, British citizen Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, whose brother was also on the flight. Air India said there were 169 Indian passengers, 53 British, seven Portuguese and a Canadian on board the flight, as well as 12 crew members. Among the passengers was a father of two young girls, Arjun Patoliya, who had travelled to India to scatter his wife's ashes following her death weeks earlier. "I really hope that those girls will be looked after by all of us," said Anjana Patel, the mayor of London's Harrow borough where some of the victims lived. "We don't have any words to describe how the families and friends must be feeling," she added. While communities were in mourning, one woman recounted how she survived by arriving late at the airport. "The airline staff had already closed the check-in," said 28-year-old Bhoomi Chauhan. "At that moment, I kept thinking that if only we had left a little earlier, we wouldn't have missed our flight," she told the Press Trust of India news agency. AFP/AP
News24
16 hours ago
- General
- News24
Families hold funerals for Air India crash victims
Mourners covered white coffins with flowers in India on Sunday as funerals were held for some of the at least 279 people killed in one of the world's worst plane crashes in decades. Health officials have begun handing over the first passenger bodies identified through DNA testing, delivering them to grieving relatives in the western city of Ahmedabad, but the wait went on for most families. "They said it would take 48 hours. But it's been four days and we haven't received any response," said Rinal Christian, 23, whose elder brother was a passenger on the jetliner. There was one survivor out of 242 passengers and crew on board the London-bound Air India jet when it crashed Thursday into a residential area of Ahmedabad, killing at least 38 people on the ground as well. "My brother was the sole breadwinner of the family," Christian told AFP. "So what happens next?" At a crematorium in the city, around 20 to 30 mourners chanted prayers in a funeral ceremony for Megha Mehta, a passenger who had been working in London. According to Rajnish Patel, a doctor at Ahmedabad's civil hospital, 47 crash victims had been identified as of Sunday evening. "This is a meticulous and slow process, so it has to be done meticulously only," Patel said. One victim's relative who did not want to be named told AFP they had been instructed not to open the coffin when they receive it. Witnesses reported seeing badly burnt bodies and scattered remains. Workers went on clearing debris from the site on Sunday, while police inspected the area. The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner erupted into a fireball when it went down moments after takeoff, smashing into buildings used by medical staff. The majority of those injured on the ground have been discharged, Patel said, with one or two remaining in critical care. 'We need to know' Indian authorities have yet to identify the cause of the disaster and have ordered inspections of Air India's Dreamliners. Authorities announced on Sunday that the second black box, the cockpit voice recorder, had been recovered. This may offer investigators more clues about what went wrong. Siddharaj Solanki/Bloomberg via Getty Images Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu said Saturday he hoped decoding the first black box, the flight data recorder, would "give an in-depth insight" into the circumstances of the crash. Imtiyaz Ali, who was still waiting for a DNA match to find his brother, said the airline should have supported families faster. "I'm disappointed in them. It is their duty," said Ali, who was contacted by the airline on Saturday. He told AFP: Next step is to find out the reason for this accident. We need to know. One person escaped alive from the wreckage, British citizen Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, whose brother was also on the flight. Air India said there were 169 Indian passengers, 53 British, seven Portuguese and a Canadian on board the flight, as well as 12 crew members. Among the passengers was a father of two young girls, Arjun Patoliya, who had travelled to India to scatter his wife's ashes following her death weeks earlier. "I really hope that those girls will be looked after by all of us," said Anjana Patel, the mayor of London's Harrow borough where some of the victims lived. "We don't have any words to describe how the families and friends must be feeling," she added. While communities were in mourning, one woman recounted how she survived by arriving late at the airport. "The airline staff had already closed the check-in," said 28-year-old Bhoomi Chauhan. "At that moment, I kept thinking that if only we had left a little earlier, we wouldn't have missed our flight," she told the Press Trust of India news agency.
