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Indian Express
21-06-2025
- General
- Indian Express
Ahmedabad plane crash: When an island loses its people
A fleck of land in the Gulf of Khambhat off Gujarat's coast, Diu stretches about 4.6 km from north to south. That is only slightly longer than the runway at the Sardar Vallabhbhai International Airport in Ahmedabad, from where the ill-fated Boeing 787 took off and crashed under a minute on June 12. The two factoids are meshed in the miraculous story of Vishwas Kumar, the only survivor of India's worst air disaster in three decades, out of the 242 on board. Vishwas, 32, is a British citizen but spends almost as much time in the Union Territory of Diu, running a fishing business here – like many others who live such dual, intertwined lives in this former Portuguese colony. Among those who died in the Ahmedabad-Gatwick flight crash were 14 with roots in Diu – four of them British (including Vishwas's brother Ajay, 30) and seven Portuguese. On this tiny island of about 51,000 people, that means many have lost someone they knew – the white caps and dark saris, a mark of mourning, now dot Diu. Having lost one son and seen another survive, Ramesh Kumar Bhalaiya, 52, is swinging between grief and relief. 'My sons were the four parts of my body,' he tells a visitor at their spacious, two-storey home in Patelwadi village. Bhalaiya flew down from Leicester, with wife Jayaben and their sons Nayan, 26, and Sunny, 29, after the crash – stopping first at Ahmedabad to identify and collect Ajay's body. Bhalaiya talks about his shock when Vishwas called to tell them of the crash. It was seconds after he informed them that they were taking off. 'Vishwas was breathing heavily and told me that Ajay was nowhere to be seen, that there was smoke everywhere. The phone then got disconnected,' Bhalaiya told The Indian Express earlier. Ajay's wife collapsed on hearing the news and had to be hospitalised; the couple lost two young daughters to an illness earlier. On Wednesday the family performed Ajay's last rites. Vishwas is too 'shaken' to talk to anybody, says a relative. The canopy in the house's courtyard where the mourners collected has not been taken down yet. The plastic chairs underneath are vacant, while the sheet spread on the ground for the mourners was blown away by the strong winds that swept Diu Thursday. On a tree, hangs a fishing net. It was the fishing season that had brought Vishwas and Ajay to Diu. The family flew down in September last year at the start of the season, and when the rest left in January, the brothers stayed back. It was an annual trip, with the Leicester-based family's primary source of income still the fish brought in by the boats it owns and operates here. Back in Leicester, the Bhalaiya sons work at a garment store. The story is the same across homes in Diu, where fishing remains the few viable sources of income besides the liquor business. The liquor draws tourists from dry Gujarat, leading to the mushrooming of bars and resorts, with fewer numbers coming for Diu's beaches, a fort, its Portuguese-style buildings, and a 17th-century church. Chhaganbhai Bhikhubhai Bhalaiya (65), of Bucharwada village close to Patelwadi, holds a Portuguese passport but lives mostly in Diu with wife Ratnaben. His sons Mahesh, 42, and Rohit, 40, are British citizens, who work at a garment factory in London. Chhaganbhai used to be in fishing too, before he got a job as a contractual driver with the Forest Department. He is now retired. Just back from attending the funeral of a relative who died in the Ahmedabad crash, Chhaganbhai says he borrowed money to send his sons, who had studied only till Class 10, in Gujarati medium, to England 15 years ago. They held Portuguese passports, allowing them to stay and work in the UK at the time, as it was part of the European Union then. Over time, they acquired British citizenship. 'First, they faced problems conversing in English, but they managed and are now proficient. They got married here, to locals, and their wives later joined them. They are happy there, and I am happy here. The two of them send 100 pounds (about Rs 11,700) each every month, and it is sufficient for my wife and me.' He has no regrets, Chhaganbhai says. 'We lived in a mud house earlier, but now have a concrete home, with all the facilities… If my sons had stayed here, we would be leading the same life… they would be fishing, putting their lives at risk, or doing some labour work.' The sons and their families visit every December, during the winter vacations, while Chhaganbhai and his wife have been to London at least 10 times in the last five years. 'My sons urge us to stay there,' he says, 'but the weather does not suit us.' The risks involved in fishing, both due to the fickle weather as well as the chances of ending up in Pakistani waters, are another reason families here don't want their children getting into it. An official of the Diu UT administration says that migration has been on the rise, particularly from fishermen communities such as the Kolis and Kharwas, with London the preferred destination. While the main reason is money, the official puts his finger on another factor. 'These communities are used to taking risks, adapting to circumstances and surviving.' The Portuguese link helps. 'After Daman, Diu and Goa were liberated in 1961 from its rule, the Portuguese government offered residents of its former colonies citizenship, if they could prove they lived there at the time. Even successors could get citizenship if they could prove ties to forefathers listed in the Portuguese civil registry. Now, they submit applications to a mamlatdar, and these are forwarded for verification to Portuguese Embassy officials, who visit Diu once every three months.' The official estimates that over 30,000 people from Diu are staying in London currently, many of them with British citizenship. 'While youths settle there, older people come back,' the official says, adding that similar migration patterns can be seen in Daman. In 2020, Diu was merged with the Union Territory of Daman, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, and it is now one consolidated UT. Amarjit Singh, a retired IAS officer, talks about the other routes for migration from Gujarat, with the first of them headed for Africa, particularly Mozambique. 'After Mozambique's independence in 1975, the Vanzas and Darjis and the other Gujarati communities, including from Diu, started to migrate again, this time towards Portugal… The Quinta da Holandesa and Quinta da Vitoria neighbourhoods in the heart of Lisbon came to hold big Gujarati settlements.' Later, Singh says, especially due to the failure of a resettlement process, many chose to migrate to Britain. K C Sethi, the author of the coffee table book Daman, Diu, Goa, Dadra, Nagar-Haveli & Portuguese Regime (1510-1961), says many homes in Diu carry hints of the old world in their 'stained glass windows, sacred relics, and black-and-white photographs of weddings with mandolin players'. Patelwadi village sarpanch Deepak Devji says that in their village of about 4,000, at least 40 families have members settled in London. There is not much by way of prospects here, says Devji. In Patelwadi, most students go to private schools or the sole Gujarati-medium government school for primary classes, before moving to the village's Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya that has English-medium instruction for Classes 6 to 12. A government college, offering Arts and Commerce streams, came up in 2013 in Diu. Besides, there is a government polytechnic and an Industrial Training Institute. Says Devji: 'Starting from an early age, children are urged by their parents to learn English so that they can settle in London. Earlier, those who went got jobs at construction sites, factories, shops… But the younger generation is more educated.' Haji Abdul Karim Bidiwala was 14 when Diu was liberated from Portugal. He recalls that till Class 3, he studied in the Portuguese medium. He remembers other things: 'Guzra hua zamana yaad bahut aata hai (We fondly remember the days gone by). The life of the people of Diu was very good… A governor looked after the administration, law and order. We got free medicines, milk, rations, some of it brought by air from Portugal.' The grandson of one of the Portuguese Governors of Diu, Joao Folque, has been visiting Diu every year since 2012, and spends at least three months here. Settled in Lisbon, the 64-year-old says over the phone: 'Diu is our first home, our ancestors' roots are entrenched here. My grandfather died in 1951 in Goa. My father was born in Silvassa in Dadra and Nagar Haveli.' Umesh Patel is the MP of the UT of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu. The first Independent to win the Daman and Diu Lok Sabha seat in nearly 40 years, Patel credits his victory to the 'neglect' of the constituency by the BJP and the 'indifference' of the Congress. 'People were fed up with the working style of the Administrator, who had carried out mass demolitions, laid off government servants like teachers and nurses, and privatised power. Businesses suffered due to his farmaan (orders).' On the rising number of young people leaving Daman and Diu, Patel says he is not surprised. 'Jobs are scarce here, people have to endure hardships… So they avail Portuguese citizenship, start earning good money and see a rise in their living standards,' he says. When that money is sent home, he adds, that affluence draws in others.
Indian Express
18-06-2025
- General
- Indian Express
Air India plane crash: Surat grandfather buries son, daughter-in-law; heads back to Ahmedabad to collect 4-year-old granddaughter's body
It was an unusual early morning for the people of Haripura in the walled city area of Surat on Wednesday when a large number of Muslims gathered to offer 'Namaz-e-Janaza' prayers for British citizens Akeel Nanabawa and his wife Hannaa Vorajee, who were among the 241 killed in the Air India flight crash on June 12. The Gloucester couple was buried around 2 am Wednesday, after which their relatives returned to Ahmedabad to collect the remains of Sara, their four-year-old daughter. Akeel (36), his wife Hannaa (31), and daughter Sara had flown from London to Ahmedabad and reached Surat on June 6, a day before Bakri Eid, to surprise Akeel's father Abdulla Nanabawa, a resident of the Haripura area. A huge crowd of mourners — clerics, social workers, relatives, friends and members of the Bohra community — from different parts of Surat city assembled at Haripura on Wednesday early morning to pay their last respects. Akeel's younger brother, Hamza, and their mother, Sajeda, also flew to Surat from London to participate in the final rites. Abdulla (62) had been in Ahmedabad since June 12 to receive the bodies of his son Akeel and his family. On June 16, the DNA test results for Akeel and Hanna were confirmed, while Sara's DNA test report arrived early on Wednesday morning. Abdulla was inconsolable as his friend Rashid Shaikh, a social worker, and a few others tried to speak to him. Talking to The Indian Express, Abdulla Nanabawa said, 'There are no words to express my feelings about my son and his family. We all enjoyed the Bakri Eid festival fully. We celebrated it with all the rituals. I dropped him at Ahmedabad on June 12 for his return flight back to London. His trip was short, but his company was memorable to me and will remain so forever.' On the early morning of June 12, Abdulla Nanabawa booked a car from Surat to Ahmedabad, carrying Akeel, Hannaa, and Sara. After dropping them at the Sardar Vallabhbhai International Airport (SVPIA), Abdulla headed to Surat, where he learnt of the plane crash. When Akeel and Hannaa were being laid to rest, Abdulla received a call from Ahmedabad Civil Hospital informing him that Sara's DNA had been matched. He and his friends left for Ahmedabad Civil Hospital at 7.00 am on Wednesday and received Sara's body; they are now on their way back to Surat.
Economic Times
17-06-2025
- Business
- Economic Times
Air India cancels flight from Ahmedabad to London due to unavailability of aircraft
Days after the fatal Dreamliner crash in Gujarat, Air India's Ahmedabad to London flight AI159 was cancelled on Tuesday due to unavailabilty of aircraft. "Flight AI159 from Ahmedabad to Gatwick has been cancelled today due to the unavailability of the aircraft, resulting from airspace restrictions and additional precautionary checks, leading to longer than usual turnaround of aircraft, and not due to any technical snag as claimed," Air India said in a statement. "We regret the inconvenience caused to our passengers and have made alternative arrangements to fly them to their destination. We are providing hotel accommodation and also offering full refunds on cancellations or complimentary rescheduling if opted by the passengers. Consequently, flight AI170 from London Gatwick to Amritsar on 17th June stands cancelled," the statement added. The flight, scheduled to depart at 1.10 PM IST from Sardar Vallabhbhai International Airport to London Gatwick Airport, was cancelled, as per Flightradar24. Following the recent crash of its Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, which claimed 241 lives onboard, Air India discontinued the use of flight number 'AI 171'. The aircraft, which crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad on its way to London Gatwick, was operating as AI 171. The Ahmedabad–London Gatwick flight was set to operate under the new number AI 159, today, for the first Read: Delhi-bound IndiGo flight receives bomb threat; makes emergency landing in NagpurOf late, Air India operations were disrupted on multiple international routes. The airline faced technical issues on two wide-body aircraft in the last two days. In Kolkata, Flight AI180, a Boeing 777-200LR, landed as scheduled at 00:45 hours. However, a technical snag in the left engine delayed its next departure. Engineers began inspections soon after the issue was flagged on the ground. Also Read: Air India's Boeing 777-200LR flight from San Francisco to Mumbai suffers technical snag; passengers deplaned in Kolkata Meanwhile on Monday, a Delhi-bound Air India Dreamliner (Boeing 787-8) operating from Hong Kong was forced to return to the departure airport. The pilot in command suspected a technical problem shortly after takeoff and opted to turn back as a precautionary measure.
Time of India
16-06-2025
- General
- Time of India
Air India plane crash: New video surfaces of lone survivor Viswash Kumar Ramesh emerging from burning wreckage; watch
New video of Ahmedabad crash survivor NEW DELHI: A new video of last week's deadly Air India crash shows Vishwas Kumar Ramesh, the sole survivor, walking away from the crash site. In the video, some bystanders are seen shouting, as smoke billows in the background. Suddenly, Ramesh walks out, and is spotted by one of the bystanders. The person then walks towards Ramesh, holds his hand, and takes him away from the spot. The British national of Indian-origin was the sole survivor of the ill-fated AI 171 flight, on which he was the occupant of seat 11A. On June 12, the flight departed Ahmedabad's Sardar Vallabhbhai International Airport shortly after 1:30 pm, and was bound for Gatwick, the second-busiest international airport in London. However, within minutes of take-off, it crashed into the hostel mess of the nearby BJ Medical College and Civil Hospital. Out of 242 people on board, 241 were killed. The toll later rose to 274, by including people who were not on the plane.
Hindustan Times
15-06-2025
- General
- Hindustan Times
Air India flight crash: Counsellors provide support to grieving families
When the London Gatwick-bound Air India flight 171 crashed into the hostel buildings of Ahmedabad's BJ Medical College in the afternoon of June 12, Dr Urveki Parekh was at her house in the nearby residential quarters that the Boeing 787 Dreamliner narrowly missed. Also Read: Air India crash probe panel set to meet today The Gujarat government, on Saturday, announced that grief counsellors have been assigned to families to help them deal with the mental trauma. The move comes two days after AI-171 crashed seconds after taking off from the Sardar Vallabhbhai International Airport in Ahmedabad on June 12, killing 241 out of 242 people on board, marking India's worst single-aircraft tragedy. More than 72 hours after the crash, even as officials of the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) are conducting a probe into the crash; forensic expert are working to match over 200 DNA samples from the bodies of the deceased; and crematoriums are being readied for mass funeral, the grief counsellors are at work in different locations within the BJ Medical College complex. Also Read: Air India flight's 2nd black box recovered; cockpit voice recorder to aid probe Parekh spoke to HT about the counselling sessions that more than 1,000 relatives affected by the tragedy are taking while they wait for the authorities to identify the charred bodies, allowing them to conduct the final rites. Until Sunday evening, authorities had successfully identified 86 bodies through DNA matching. 'There are five stages of grief: denial, anger, bargain, depression and acceptance. The accident has roiled the lives of so many people. In this case, there are videos circulated everywhere. This makes it even more difficult for the families,' Parekh said, who was among the first responders at the crash site on the day of the tragedy. Also Read: Eyewitness on ground recalls Air India plane crash horror: 'Dead bodies and debris all over' In the aftermath of the crash, relatives of the deceased were unable to accept what had happened for the first two days, Parekh shared. 'They wanted to see the bodies for themselves. They had hope that their relatives might have survived. That hope and anger must be managed professionally,' she said, adding that over a dozen psychiatrists have been roped in for counselling. Parekh said that grief counsellors like her are stationed at three locations: The first is where relatives provide blood samples for DNA matching with the remains found from the crash site; the second is the hospital superintendent's office where relatives are informed after a DNA match is confirmed; and the third is the mortuary, where authorities hand over the body over to their kin. The doctor underscored the need for counselling during the various stages of recovering the victims' bodies. 'We have seen that the families are tired and want the bodies at the earliest. Professional counselling is needed when families are told that the DNA samples matched and they have to come and receive the confirmation papers. It is also needed before the body is finally handed to them. During the time when authorities are preparing the body for handing it over, the grief counsellors are counselling the families,' she added. While recounting her experiences, Parekh said she faced her most challenging counselling session on Sunday morning. 'How do you break the news to a 7-year-old that his DNA has matched with his father and that his father is no more?' she said. 'I am also worried about those who have now developed a fear of flying because of what they have seen.'
