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‘Not in mental frame of mind to talk anymore’: Families of deceased recall crash
The 12-year-old Boeing 787-8 aircraft had departed from Ahmedabad at 1:38pm, carrying 230 passengers and 12 crew
Four medical students and a doctor’s wife were among those killed after the London-bound Air India plane crashed into the hostel of the BJ Medical college on Thursday afternoon, college dean, Dr Minaxi Parikh said.
She added that around six to seven staff members from the hostel mess are missing.
A cabin crew, Irfan Shaikh, was among the deceased in the flight. Sameer Shaikh, father of Irfan, said that they learned about the incident only at 4pm and immediately rushed to Ahmedabad.
“We did not get any call from the airline, but from a colleague of Irfan. On arriving here, we learnt of the arrangements made by Air India. At the moment, we aren’t in a mental frame of mind to talk anymore. Kindly excuse us”, Sameer said.
Among the dead in the aftermath of the Air India crash in BJ Medical college was 15-year-old Akash Patni, who resided barely a kilometer away at Ghoda Camp Road. The Patni family had a tea cart outside B J Medical College Hostel.
“We have had the tea cart for the last 30 years. At the time of incident, it was business as usual for my brother. I received a call at 1.30pm informing about the incident,” narrated his elder brother Kalpesh Patni, who does odd jobs for survival.
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“We have been informed that we would be able to take my brother’s body only after two days but no reason for the late handover. There’s no information coming in,” he added.
Another deceased, Syed Javed Ali, an Indian origin British national had come to Mumbai to visit his family for Eid celebrations and to get his mother’s heart ailment treatment.
“He arrived in June, we celebrated Eid the following day. Our sister and her family too had come from London ensuring the entire family celebrates together,” recalled Imitiaz Ali, 42, brother of the deceased.
Initially, Javed was to travel alone as the priority was to get his mother’s surgery done, however, he changed plans and the entire family of four landed in Mumbai. She has three blockages, necessitating as many surgeries for stent placement.
The plan was to spend a week with the family and return to their routine in London. Javed was the general manager at Kaz Hotels’ run BestWestern Kensington Olympia in London.
“Javed and his family’s return flight was booked by his wife Mariam, who came along with their two children Zayn and Amani, and managed to get the one via Ahmedabad. While my sister was lucky to get a direct flight to London, Javed wasn’t. The departure timing of both was almost at the same time,” shared Imitiaz after giving his blood sample at Ahmedabad’s Civil Hospital to run a DNA test on the deceased as the remains retrieved from the crash site are charred and beyond identification.
Her sister landed first in London, when Imitiaz connected with her asking Javed and family’s whereabouts. She was unaware about the air crash until Imitiaz broke the news to her.
“I don’t know how to break this news to our mother given her cardiac ailment but will certainly have to tell her. I haven’t thought of how and when,” Imitiaz added.
Eyewitness Rajeshbhai Patni, a 47-year-old auto-rickshaw driver, recalled the moment when he witnessed the tragic moment. He was dropping off passengers near the hostel when the tragedy struck.
“I saw the plane exploding when it hit the roof. I saw red and black flames emerging from the building. I left my autorickshaw and ran for my life,” recounted Patni, who has received injuries to his chest and leg and is receiving treatment at Civil Hospital.
Sandeep Datani, who runs a coconut stall approximately two kilometers from the crash site, was drawn to the scene after spotting smoke in the distance.
“I saw smoke rising in the air and rushed to see what happened. There was another blast, and this is when I started running,” said Datani who escaped unhurt.
Air India confirmed that 241 people on board its London-bound flight were killed when the aircraft crashed shortly after takeoff from the Ahmedabad airport on Thursday.
The Boeing 787-8 aircraft was carrying 242 passengers and crew members. The passengers comprised 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, seven Portuguese nationals and one Canadian national.
The 12-year-old Boeing 787-8 aircraft had departed from Ahmedabad at 1:38pm, carrying 230 passengers and 12 crew.
