Grieving families of victims from the tragic Air India plane crash that claimed at least 270 lives are pleading with authorities to return full-bodied remains of their loved ones to conduct proper final rites, as officials have been returning only fragments in many cases.
Heart-wrenching scenes continue to unfold outside the Civil Hospital in Ahmedabad, where makeshift morgues have been established following the crash of a London-bound Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner last Thursday. Relatives gathered outside the postmortem ward are demanding complete remains, but officials have indicated this may not be possible due to the catastrophic nature of the crash.
Identification Challenges Compound Grief
"One challenging case involved two heads being found in a single body bag. This has forced a repeat of DNA testing, which takes up to 72 hours. The remains clearly belong to two different victims and must be properly identified before any release," a senior official at the hospital disclosed.
The crash devastated a residential building near a medical college hostel, killing 241 of the 242 passengers onboard and 29 people on the ground. The disaster has left many families unable to conduct burial or cremation ceremonies in accordance with their religious and cultural traditions due to the absence of intact remains.
Lone Survivor's Account
In a remarkable turn of events, 40-year-old British national Vishwash Kumar Ramesh emerged as the sole survivor of the catastrophic crash.
"Thirty seconds after takeoff, there was a loud noise and then the plane crashed," Ramesh recounted in an interview. "When I got up, there were bodies all around me. I was scared… someone pulled me into an ambulance."
Ramesh, who sustained chest, foot, and eye injuries, had been returning to the UK with his older brother, Ajay Kumar Ramesh (45), after a family visit. Ahmedabad Police Commissioner GS Malik confirmed that Ramesh, who was seated in 11A, was "the only one pulled out alive from the wreckage."
Government Response and Global Reactions
The Indian government has ordered emergency inspections of all Air India Boeing 787-8 and 787-9 aircraft equipped with GEnx engines. Officials will focus on takeoff systems, electronic engine control, and fuel components as part of the investigation.
The global community has responded with messages of solidarity. French President Emmanuel Macron expressed "deep emotion," sending condolences to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the families of victims. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni also offered her sympathies, stating: "Our full solidarity is with the Indian people in this time of great sorrow."
As authorities race to complete the difficult process of DNA identification, the tragedy continues to unfold with families left in limbo, awaiting closure through proper funeral rites for their loved ones.
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