Latest news with #ShobhanaPatel
Malay Mail
5 days ago
- General
- Malay Mail
UK families horrified as Air India crash caskets contain wrong, mixed remains
LONDON, July 24 — Relatives of a British victim killed in last month's Air India crash received a casket that contained mixed remains, a lawyer representing several families and UK media said yesterday. The family of a separate victim received the remains of another person, according to James Healy-Pratt, who is representing 20 British families who lost loved ones in the disaster. A total of 241 people on board the London-bound Boeing 787 Dreamliner died when the plane crashed shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad in western India on June 12. Some 169 Indian passengers and 52 British nationals were killed, making it one of the deadliest plane crashes in terms of the number of British fatalities. Several people on the ground also died while only one passenger, British citizen Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, survived the crash. Healy-Pratt told the Press Association news agency that the return of victims' remains had been marred by serious errors, which had been identified following a probe by a British coroner. 'In the first two caskets that were repatriated, in one of the caskets, there was co-mingling of DNA which did not relate to the deceased in that casket or the casket that accompanied it,' he said. The lawyer added the coroner was then 'able to determine that one particular loved one was not at all who the family thought they were'. Miten Patel, whose mother Shobhana Patel died along with her husband in the disaster, told the BBC that 'other remains' were found in her casket after her body was returned to Britain. 'People were tired and there was a lot of pressure. But there has to be a level of responsibility that you're sending the right bodies to the UK,' he told the broadcaster. The Daily Mail newspaper first reported two cases in which the wrong remains were apparently returned to families in Britain. India's foreign ministry said all remains 'were handled with utmost professionalism and with due regard for the dignity of the deceased'. 'We are continuing to work with the UK authorities on addressing any concerns related to this issue,' the statement added. — AFP
The Irish Sun
5 days ago
- The Irish Sun
Air India crash victim's family furious after someone else's remains were also sent home in casket
THE family of a mum killed in the Air India crash has blasted Indian authorities after someone else's remains were also sent home in her casket. NHS microbiologist Shobhana Patel, 71, died with her husband Ashok, 74, in the crash in June. 2 Shobhana Patel, 71, died with her husband Ashok, 74, in June's Air India crash Credit: Supplied 2 The crash killed 260 people Credit: Alamy The couple, from Orpington, Kent, were repatriated in different coffins but DNA tests in Britain Her son Miten, 40, said: 'I have no idea if the other remains were from more than one person.' One family was sent the wrong body entirely. India's Ministry of External Affairs said: 'All remains were handled with professionalism.' READ MORE ON AIR INDIA CRASH Lawyer James Healy-Pratt, representing around 20 families, said: 'They have been left in limbo. 'They have no-one to bury because the wrong body was in the casket.' It is thought that only Indian authorities carried out DNA tests on victims with no input from any international agency. Mr Healy-Prat added: 'I am hearing that it was Indian authorities alone who identified remains and then placed them in caskets. Most read in The Sun 'The families want assurances that their loved ones have not been left behind somewhere in India because they don't have confidence in the system. 'They have had the terrible shock of losing a loved one and then they go through more trauma when they learn it is not only their loved one in the casket, or it may not be their loved one at all.' How pilots cutting engines sparked TWO plane disasters after South Korea & India crashes as calls for cockpit CCTV grow
Scottish Sun
5 days ago
- General
- Scottish Sun
Air India crash victim's family furious after someone else's remains were also sent home in casket
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THE family of a mum killed in the Air India crash has blasted Indian authorities after someone else's remains were also sent home in her casket. NHS microbiologist Shobhana Patel, 71, died with her husband Ashok, 74, in the crash in June. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 Shobhana Patel, 71, died with her husband Ashok, 74, in June's Air India crash Credit: Supplied 2 The crash killed 260 people Credit: Alamy The couple, from Orpington, Kent, were repatriated in different coffins but DNA tests in Britain found other body parts along with Shobhana's. Her son Miten, 40, said: 'I have no idea if the other remains were from more than one person.' One family was sent the wrong body entirely. India's Ministry of External Affairs said: 'All remains were handled with professionalism.' READ MORE ON AIR INDIA CRASH 'BODY MIX-UP' Brit Air India families 'sent the WRONG bodies' after crash killed 260 Lawyer James Healy-Pratt, representing around 20 families, said: 'They have been left in limbo. 'They have no-one to bury because the wrong body was in the casket.' It is thought that only Indian authorities carried out DNA tests on victims with no input from any international agency. Mr Healy-Prat added: 'I am hearing that it was Indian authorities alone who identified remains and then placed them in caskets. 'The families want assurances that their loved ones have not been left behind somewhere in India because they don't have confidence in the system. 'They have had the terrible shock of losing a loved one and then they go through more trauma when they learn it is not only their loved one in the casket, or it may not be their loved one at all.'
The Sun
5 days ago
- The Sun
Air India crash victim's family furious after someone else's remains were also sent home in casket
THE family of a mum killed in the Air India crash has blasted Indian authorities after someone else's remains were also sent home in her casket. NHS microbiologist Shobhana Patel, 71, died with her husband Ashok, 74, in the crash in June. 2 The couple, from Orpington, Kent, were repatriated in different coffins but DNA tests in Britain found other body parts along with Shobhana's. Her son Miten, 40, said: 'I have no idea if the other remains were from more than one person.' One family was sent the wrong body entirely. India's Ministry of External Affairs said: 'All remains were handled with professionalism.' Lawyer James Healy-Pratt, representing around 20 families, said: 'They have been left in limbo. 'They have no-one to bury because the wrong body was in the casket.' It is thought that only Indian authorities carried out DNA tests on victims with no input from any international agency. Mr Healy-Prat added: 'I am hearing that it was Indian authorities alone who identified remains and then placed them in caskets. 'The families want assurances that their loved ones have not been left behind somewhere in India because they don't have confidence in the system. 'They have had the terrible shock of losing a loved one and then they go through more trauma when they learn it is not only their loved one in the casket, or it may not be their loved one at all.'
BBC News
5 days ago
- BBC News
Air India crash victims' son says he received wrong remains
The son of a woman killed in the Air India plane crash has told the BBC "other remains" were found in her casket after her body was returned to the Patel, whose father also died in the crash, said the coroner identified the mixed-up remains and left him to worry: "How many others are in there?"The Daily Mail reported on Wednesday that the wrong bodies were being sent to loved ones following the crash which killed 260 people shortly after take-off in early remains were handled with "utmost professionalism" and dignity, India's foreign ministry said, and that it was working with UK officials to address concerns. Ashok and Shobhana Patel were travelling home to visit their sons and grandchildren on 12 June. After the Gatwick-bound plane crashed in Ahmedabad, western India, they were among the first victims to be returned son Miten said the mix-up was "obviously very upsetting," even though he acknowledged that mistakes happen."People were tired and there was a lot of pressure. But there has to be a level of responsibility that you're sending the right bodies to the UK."How do I know there aren't other remains in the casket with her?"The Daily Mail reported two cases in which the wrong remains were allegedly returned to loved ones in the apparently saw a family receive the wrong body entirely, while another was said to involve the remains of several people placed in the same foreign ministry said that they were aware of the report "and have been working closely with the UK side from the moment these concerns and issues were brought to our attention".The statement continued: "In the wake of the tragic crash, the concerned authorities had carried out identification of victims as per established protocols and technical requirements."All mortal remains were handled with utmost professionalism and with due regard for the dignity of the deceased."We are continuing to work with the UK authorities on addressing any concerns related to this issue."
