Ahmedabad plane crash: Grim wait for kin as DNA samples hold hope of identifying loved ones

Hospital staff collecting the DNA samples of the relatives of the victim at the Civil Hospital in Ahmedabad on June 13, 2025. | Photo Credit: Vijay Soneji

The air outside Ahmedabad’s Civil Hospital hung thick with unspoken grief. Dozens of families sat in rows, some clutching their family members, others staring blankly at the ground or photographs of loved ones on their mobile phones — waiting to give DNA samples that might finally bring their loved ones home. Inside the autopsy rooms, forensic teams moved through their grim work. Charred remains required careful examination; dental records became precious clues. The work continued through the night, matching what remained to names that once belonged to living, breathing people.

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The B.J. Medical College auditorium, its walls echoing with quiet sobs, had transformed into a grim waiting room. Families who had rushed from across India now sat on wooden benches with desks, just behind the autopsy room.

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Those aboard the ill-fated flight had varied reasons for their journey. Some were returning to the United Kingdom after a brief visit to their homeland, while others were foreign nationals heading back to their countries. Many were visiting family members in the U.K., and among them was Gujarat’s former Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, who was en route to London to reunite with his wife and daughter.

One of the victims, Prakash Chandra Menariya, was a 45-year-old cook from London. A native of Rohida in Udaipur district in Rajasthan, he had come to India two months ago after his father passed away.

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“His family lives in the village. He was living in London for around 20 years. Now, his 25-year-old son gave the DNA sample for identification,” said the victim’s brother-in-law, Prakash Mehta, who was waiting outside the auditorium. He said Menariya used to visit India at least once a year as his family – wife and two sons – lived at Rohida.

Many of the grieving family members were not willing to speak to the media. They were assisted by volunteers of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and non-governmental organisations (NGOs).

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Newlywed Ankita Patel, 26, was among the 242 who boarded the flight with dreams of reuniting with her U.K.-based husband, Vasant Patel. Married last December, they had spent just 12 days together before he returned to his provision store in Britain. After six months of visa preparations, her family had joyfully seen her off at Ahmedabad airport. Hours later, their celebration turned to tragedy when the plane crashed. Now, Mr. Patel returns to claim his wife’s remains. “We had not even covered half the distance when we came to know about the aircraft, and we rushed back,” her sister-in-law Gayatri Patel told the media.

Air India confirmed that the ill-fated aircraft was carrying 242 people, including crew, with 241 confirmed dead. The sole survivor, identified as Vishwas Kumar Ramesh — a British national of Indian origin — is currently undergoing treatment in the hospital. The passengers included 169 Indians, 53 British nationals, seven Portuguese, and one Canadian. Officials have yet to provide a final casualty count, and the full extent of the tragedy remains uncertain.

Published - June 14, 2025 01:04 am IST