Filmmaker missing after Air India crash, wife's agonising search ongoing

The mysterious disappearance of a filmmaker who was near Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport at the time of last Thursday’s ill-fated crash has led his family to submit DNA samples in a desperate bid to locate him.

A resident of Naroda, Mahesh Kalawadia, went to meet an acquaintance at Law Garden area that afternoon, his wife Hetal told news agency PTI.

However, Mahesh's family has not been able to get in touch with him since Thursday, ever since the plane crashed into a medical college hostel just five minutes from taking off, killing 241 on board, and at least 29 on ground -- many of whom were charred beyond recognition, prompting authorities and families to rely on DNA matching for identification.

According to Mahesh's wife, the police informed her that his phone was located 700 meters from the crash site and went off a minute before the flight took off.

"My husband called me at 1.14pm to tell me his meeting is over and that he is on his way home. However, when he did not return, I called up on his phone but it was switched off. After police was intimated, the last location of his mobile phone showed he was 700 metres away from the crash site," Hetal told PTI.

"His phone got switched off around 1:40pm (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. We have submitted DNA samples to check if he was one of those killed on the ground due to the crash," she added.

So far, only 47 victims have been identified through DNA tests and the authorities have handed over 24 bodies to the victims’ families.

Inputs from PTI