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First Post
20 hours ago
- Politics
- First Post
Air India crash: Wrong bodies sent to grieving families in UK, report cites DNA tests
Multiple families of victims of the Air India 171 crash in the United Kingdom have received wrong bodies of their deceased relatives, according to a report. read more Members of Indian Army's engineering arm prepare to remove the wreckage of an Air India aircraft, bound for London's Gatwick Airport, which crashed during take-off from an airport in Ahmedabad, India. Reuters Multiple British families of Air India 171 crash have received wrong bodies, according to a report. On June 12, the London-bound AI 171 flight crashed shortly after take-off in Gujarat's Ahmedabad. Out of the 260 deceased, 52 were British nationals. Their remains were identified by genetic testing and dental records and transported to the United Kingdom. The Daily Mail has now reported that the identification and transportation of bodies was botched up in multiple cases. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD These errors came to light after Inner West London coroner Dr Fiona Wilcox sought to verify the remains of British nationals transported from India by matching their DNA with samples provided by the families, as per the newspaper. Multiple families receive wrong bodies, remains: Report In at least two cases, families of deceased got wrong bodies and remains, according to The Mail. In one case, relatives had to abandon funeral plans after they learnt that the coffin they received contained the wrong body. In another case, remains of multiple persons were wrongly put together in a coffin and given to a family. In the second case, the remains were separated and the family went ahead with the funerals with the remains that were identified with their relative. The newspaper reported that there are fears that there could be more such cases where families could have been handed over wrong bodies or remains. It said that an enquiry was taking place in the matter and British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer was expected to raise the matter with Indian PM Narendra Modi, who embarked on a visit to the UK on Wednesday. Victims' families flag lack of transparency The Mail reported that one relative criticised the 'lack of transparency and oversight in the identification and handling of remains' and said that there were calls for a British-run ID unit to be flown in to Ahmedabad. 'Our loved ones were British citizens. They deserved better in life. They certainly deserved better in death,' the relative said. The families told the newspaper that they did not see their deceased relatives, but had to rely entirely on the labelling provided by Indian authorities. On their part, the Indian authorities took DNA samples and also referred to dental records to determine which body or remains belonged to whom. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'Nobody looked at the remains. We weren't allowed to. They just said 'this is your mother or father' and gave us a paper label with an ID number on it. We had to take their word for it. It's horrific that this could have happened, but what could anyone do?' Altaf Taju from Blackburn, whose London-based parents were killed along with their son-on-law Altafhusen Patel, told the newspaper.
Metro
a day ago
- General
- Metro
British families of Air India victims sent wrong bodies ‘commingled' in coffins
Grieving loved ones of those who were killed in the Air India crash are being sent the wrong bodies. Some of the remains of the 261 victims have been wrongly identified before being repatriated to families in the UK. The relatives of one victim was even forced to abandon their funeral plans after being told the coffin contained the body of an unknown passenger. In one case the remains of two victims who have been 'commingled' together have also been placed in the same casket. They had to be separated before the funeral took place. Inner West London coroner Dr Fiona Wilcox has ordered all repatriated bodies to be matched with DNA samples provided by the families. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video So far there have been two confirmed cases of mistaken identity. An inquiry has opened between British and Indian authorities, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer set to raise concerns to his counterpart Narenda Modi on his state visit to Britain this week. Some 52 passengers on the flight 171 were Britons departing Ahmedabad for London Gatwick when the aircraft lost power on June 12. Aviation lawyer James Healy-Pratt who is representing many of the families said the bodies of 12 British nationals have been repatriated back to the UK. He told The Mail: 'I've been sitting down in the homes of these lovely British families over the last month, and the first thing they want is their loved ones back. 'But some of them have got the wrong remains and they are clearly distraught over this. It has been going on for a couple of weeks (and) I think these families deserve an explanation.' Altaf Taju, from Blackburn, whose parents Adam, 72 and Hasina, 70, died in the crash along with their son-in-law Altafhusen Patel, 51, said he was not able to look at any of the remains to check. He said: 'They just said, 'This is your mother or father', and gave us a paper label with an ID number on it. We had to take their word for it. It's horrific that this could have happened, but what could anyone do?' One family, who he referred to as Family X, had to cancel the funeral service after being given the wrong person in the casket. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video 'Family X have no-one to bury because it was the wrong person in their casket. And if isn't their relative, the question is, who is it in that coffin? Presumably it's another passenger and their relatives have been given the wrong remains,' he added. More Trending Recovery teams used sniffer dogs and search equipment to find the bodies, with locals also volunteering to help sift through the smoldering remains. Within three days all of the victims were believed to have been found, but most bodies were burnt beyond recognition. A government spokesperson said: 'Formal identification of bodies is a matter for the Indian authorities. 'We understand that this is an extremely distressing time for the families, and our thoughts remain with them.' Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Airline founded by UK millionaire 'parks' only plane — after two return flights MORE: easyJet's summer 2026 sale is here – these are the best destinations to book now MORE: British airport announces 'major redesign' including new restaurants and runway views
Sky News AU
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Sky News AU
‘Leave Meghan at home': Prince Harry's secret negotiations ahead of rumoured reconciliation at Invictus Games
Prince Harry has reportedly begun 'negotiations' with the royal family ahead of a possible joint public appearance at the 2027 Invictus Games in Birmingham. Last week, a spokesperson for Invictus appeared to hint that Harry was 'hoping' King Charles, Prince William and other royal family members will attend the 2027 games. Harry helped set up Invictus in 2014 as an Olympics-style international sporting event for injured and wounded servicemen and women across the globe. The first ever winter edition of the Invictus Games took place in Whistler and Vancouver in February this year and featured athletes from 23 different countries. The next edition of the Invictus Games is set to take place in 2027 and will mark the event's return to Harry's native United Kingdom for the first time since the inaugural London games. According to a source close to the Sussexes who spoke to Woman's Day, the Duke of Sussex now 'accepts' his family will never truly embrace his wife. '(Harry) reluctantly accepts his family hate her so there's no sense involving her in peace talks because they'd turn him down flat if he were to try,' the source said. 'So Harry's new tactic is to do this solo. He's willing to fly to the UK, set up mediation meetings, whatever they'll agree to.' According to the insider, Harry is prepared to meet with his father and brother without Markle if the royal family agrees to attend the Invictus Games. 'He's tried before, but the royals baulked because he insisted on bringing Meghan,' the source said. 'Now he's even offered to leave her at home for the Invictus Games if the royals agree to attend.' While the royal family has supported Harry's signature organisation since its inception, no senior royals have appeared at any Invictus event since the Sussexes left royal duties five years ago. The entire monarchy also noticeably snubbed a major service in London to celebrate a decade of Invictus at St Paul's Cathedral last year. Instead, Harry was supported at the event by his uncle Earl Spencer and his aunt Lady Jane Fellowes from Princess Diana's side of the family. Meanwhile, Harry's wife Meghan Markle still allegedly refuses to return to the UK without an apology from the monarchy for perceived mistreatment. The comments come after fresh speculation the rift between Harry and King Charles is finally starting to thaw. A fortnight ago, Harry's new chief communications officer, Meredith Maines, and UK-based PR rep Liam Maguire were photographed meeting with the King's top aide, Communications Secretary Tobyn Andreae, near Clarence House. The meeting, first revealed by The Mail on Sunday, reportedly had "no formal agenda" but there were "things both sides wanted to talk about".
The Independent
6 days ago
- The Independent
Ridiculous phone roaming bills and how to avoid them
Holidaymakers in Corfu have been hit with bills for roaming charges of up to £300 after their phones latched on to Albanian mobile phone masts. At their closest, the Greek island and the Balkan nation are barely one mile apart. The Mail reports that holidaymaker Maria Pratt wrote on Facebook: 'We got caught out 298 pound bill when we got home x.' This issue is not limited to Corfu/Albania confusion. Most British travellers have some sort of deal for low roaming charges within the European Union, and often the wider Schengen area (including Switzerland, Iceland and Norway). Costs are kept down to perhaps a few pounds per day. But in border areas with non-EU nations, or on ships connected to maritime satellite networks, travellers can inadvertently lock onto networks where charges are extremely high. These are the key questions and answers. I fly to an EU country. I switch on my phone. What could possibly go wrong? So long as you are staying well away from any borders with non-EU nations, and coastlines where you could connect inadvertently with a maritime network, not much. Typical roaming arrangements allow you a reasonable deal for Schengen area nations plus Ireland, the Isle of Man, Channel Islands, San Marino and Vatican City. Because a number of remote islands and territories are part of France, the plan often includes some far-flung destinations, including Guyane, Guadeloupe, St-Martin and Reunion. Notably, though, plans usually exclude some key Balkan, Mediterranean and Pyrenean nations: These territories are priced at high rates. Maritime tariffs – as applied on some ferries and cruise ships – are even more expensive. What are the possible roaming risks? The main problem is connecting to a network in another destination without meaning to. Phones are constantly probing to detect the optimum mast, and that may lay on the other side of an international border – or even on a vessel at seas. Where are the most likely problems? Holidaymakers on some Greek islands are prone to locking on to other countries' providers. Besides the Corfu-Albania example, the northern tip of Kos is only three miles from Turkey, while part of Lesbos is six miles from the Turkish mainland. Little-visited Chios is four miles from Turkey. In Cyprus, close to the 'Green Line', phones may select a network from the self-styled Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. In Croatia, the main problems concern the narrow coastal strip in the south, where Bosnia is never far away. Some of the most enticing locations in northeast Romania, including elaborately painted monasteries, are close to the Moldovan frontier. In the Suwalki Gap – where Poland and Lithuania meet, pinched between Belarus and Russian exclave Kaliningrad – you may lock on to a network that will either not work or cost you a fortune. The same applies in northeast Estonia, at the spectacular city of Narva, overlooking Russia. Even in the UK, at some locations in Kent, your phone may find a network in France more appealing. Travellers to French locations in the Caribbean might find potential issues, too. St-Martin (French) and the Dutch outpost of Sint Maarten share an island; the French part has cheap roaming, the Dutch part not. How can I avoid inadvertent roaming? You could turn off roaming altogether. On Android phones such as the Samsung Galaxy, go to "settings", "connections", "mobile networks" then select "roaming off". On an iPhone, from 'settings', go into 'mobile service' then 'mobile data options'. Select 'roaming off'. Then rely on local free wifi. If you want to roam without unpleasant surprises, start with 'roaming off'. On arrival in the destination, for an Android, from 'mobile networks' select "network mode", then "network operators" and disable "select automatically". On an iPhone, go to 'settings' and 'network selection'; disable 'automatic'. Choose a local provider; your phone should not opt for anyone else. Then switch on roaming. I am going to a country where roaming costs a fortune Get a local SIM or an eSIM that will allow you to make and receive calls, and use data, at a low price – which you can top up as necessary as you go. Simon Calder, also known as The Man Who Pays His Way, has been writing about travel for The Independent since 1994. In his weekly opinion column, he explores a key travel issue – and what it means for you.
Sky News AU
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Sky News AU
‘Bullying': Princess Delphine of Belgium breaks silence about Prince Harry rift and defends Duke of Sussex
Belgium's Princess Delphine has launched a stunning defence of her distant cousin Prince Harry after becoming the most senior royal to weigh in on the Sussexes. The Belgian royal, who is the half-sister of the country's reigning monarch King Philippe, is distantly related to the Duke of Sussex through their shared ancestors King Christian IX of Denmark and Queen Louise. Delphine, 57, was finally recognised as Princess of Belgium with the style "Her Royal Highness' in 2020 after spending decades battling to prove she was the secret daughter of Philippe's father King Albert II. The Belgian monarchy has now largely embraced Delphine into the inner circle and she joins the royal family at major state occasions. Earlier this week, the Princess and acclaimed artist sat down for the It's Reigning Men podcast, where she revealed she keeps tabs on the Duke and Duchess of Sussex amid their ongoing feud with the British royal family. 'I do follow a little bit of Harry because Lady Diana was just part of my life when I was in England … Then she had these children and everything, and then this death was just horrible … I feel very sorry for Harry because I think that was traumatic for him,' she said. The royal said the Duke of Sussex had 'suffered so much' in the public eye and she understood why Harry and Meghan were "traumatised" in the royal family. 'I think Harry suffered so much, and I think he was traumatised and it's coming out now," she said. 'And I understand, so he's doing these things, and everybody's bullying him, but not thinking about his trauma. 'And I just find it terrible because he's just been kind of left.' Delphine's stunning defence marks a departure from the rest of the Belgian monarchy and follows days of speculation that Harry and Meghan could finally hold a 'peace summit' with King Charles. Last weekend, Harry's new chief communications officer, Meredith Maines, and UK-based PR rep Liam Maguire were photographed meeting with the King's top aide, Communications Secretary Tobyn Andreae, near Clarence House. The meeting, first revealed by The Mail on Sunday, reportedly had "no formal agenda" but there were "things both sides wanted to talk about". Meanwhile, Meghan has reportedly refused to return to the United Kingdom until she receives an apology from the royal family for perceived 'mistreatment' during her brief two years inside the firm.
