Teary eyes bid farewell to Air India crew member Deepak Pathak who died in Ahmedabad crash
Deepak Pathak's body was handed over to his family members after a nine-day-long identification process, confirmed through DNA testing.
Emotional scenes unfolded at the funeral of Air India crew member Deepak Pathak whose mortal remains were consigned to flames at a Badlapur crematorium in the presence of thousands of mourners on Saturday.
Pathak (34), who had been serving the national carrier for the past 11 years, was among the crew members aboard the ill-fated London-bound flight which crashed in Ahmedabad on June 12.
His body was handed over to his family members after a nine-day-long identification process, confirmed through DNA testing.
Tears flowed freely as the coffin arrived at his residence in Rawal Complex on Ambernath-Badlapur Road. Many struggled to hold back emotions, with heartfelt scenes unfolding among the grieving crowd.
Pathak's large portrait accompanied the coffin, standing as a silent tribute as mourners offered floral respects.
The funeral procession witnessed an overwhelming turnout. Family, friends, neighbours, and people from all walks of life walked behind the flower-bedecked truck carrying Pathak's coffin to the Manjarli crematorium.
Pathak's family members had recalled that he had shared his photos on social media just before the flight took off from the Ahmedabad international airport.
"He called our mother that morning and just said ‘good morning’. That was the last time we heard his voice," his sister had said. "We couldn’t speak often because of our schedules, but my mother and I would always talk about him".
Pathak was the third of five siblings and had married four years ago. He is survived by his elderly parents, wife, and two married sisters.
In the last few days, the last rites of Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, pilot in command of the Air India plane, cabin supervisor Shradha Dhavan, senior crew member Aparna Mahadik, and crew member Maithili Patil- all from Maharashtra- were conducted in their respective hometowns.
The mortal remains of Capt Sabharwal, Dhavan, and Mahadik were cremated at crematoriums in suburban Chakala, Mulund, and Goregaon in Mumbai, respectively. Maithili Patil's last rites were performed in Raigad district.
The London-bound Air India flight AI-171 carrying 242 passengers and crew members crashed in Ahmedabad last Thursday, killing all but one on board, and 29 on the ground as the aircraft smashed into a medical complex.
