Mix-up in repatriation of AI crash victims’ mortal remains; families abandon funeral ceremonies
London: There has been an alleged mix-up in the repatriation of the bodies of some of the British victims in the Air India crash in Ahmedabad in June, forcing the relatives to abandon the funeral ceremonies.
While some families in the UK received the mortal remains of unknown person, some others received mortal remains of two people placed in the same coffin, according to The Daily Mail.
The matter is known to have come to light after Inner West London coroner Dr. Fiona Wilcox asked for a verification of the identities of British victims by matching their DNA with samples provided by their families.
A high-level inquiry into the matter is currently underway, with the report stating that the UK Prime Minister is likely to discuss the matter with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Aviation lawyer James Healy-Pratt, who represents many British families, has said that the funeral rites of some victims have already been conducted in India. He added that the bodies of at least 12 victims have been repatriated.
He stressed on the desperation of the British families to get the mortal remains of their loved ones and that they are distraught by the fact that they received the remains of strangers. Healy-Pratt said that the process of repatriation was going on for a couple of weeks and opined that the families deserve an explanation regarding the mix-up.
The identification of the bodies was started immediately after the crash that claimed 275 lives, including that of 52 British citizens. The process carried out by local authorities and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) using sniffer dogs and other high-tech equipment. The bodies, however, were beyond recognition as the heat generated during the crash was as high as 1,500 degrees Celsius.
The report on the process said that the relatives of the victims were asked to provide their DNA samples, while in some of the severe cases, dental records were used for identification.
Notably, Indian authorities had stated that the DNA tests had confirmed the identities of all victims by June 28. The bodies were repatriated by Air India.
The London-bound Air India, AI 171, carrying 242 people, including 12 crew members, took off from the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Airport in Ahmedabad on June 12 and crashed just seconds later into the hostel of BJ Medical College campus. Over 275, including the people on the ground, were killed in the crash.
One passenger who survived the crash, Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, is a British national of Indian origin.
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Experience comes when you play bigger teams in bilateral series: Rashid Khan
Chennai (PTI): Afghanistan skipper Rashid Khan called for more bilateral series against stronger cricketing nations after his team signed off from the T20 World Cup on a high, defeating Canada in their final group match here on Thursday.
Afghanistan played some exhilarating cricket, going down to South Africa in a gripping second Super Over after the scores were tied, a humdinger that provided one of the early thrills of the World Cup.
However, the spin-bowling stalwart said Afghanistan could make significant strides if they get regular opportunities to compete against stronger cricketing nations.
"Couple of areas to improve, with the batting, the middle order got a bit stuck against the big teams, and then with the bowling the death overs. That comes when you play the bigger teams in bilateral series," said Rashid after his team defeat Canada by 82 runs, with him returning excellent figures of 2 for 19.
The stalwart said the side had arrived well prepared for the tournament and produced some breathtaking cricket, but admitted the narrow defeat to South Africa proved costly and remained a painful setback.
"We were well-prepared (for the tournament), we played some unbelievable cricket. The game against South Africa, that really hurt everyone. We had to win one of those (first two) games and see how the tournament unfolded. We'll take some positive things from this World Cup and look forward," he said.
With head coach Jonathan Trott set to part ways with the team, Rashid described the departure as an "emotional" moment for the side.
"I think we had some wonderful times with him. Where we are now, he played a main role. It's emotional to see him leave us, but that's how life is. We wish him all the best and somewhere down the line we see him again."
Ibrahim Zadran, who was named Player of the Match for his unbeaten 95 off 56 balls, said it was satisfying to finally register a substantial score after two below-par outings.
"I enjoyed it, didn't play better cricket in first two innings, which I expect. Wanted to back my skills, really enjoyed it. Pressure was there, it's there all the time. I want to put myself in pressure situations and enjoy it," said Zadran.
"Wanted to play positive cricket, rotate strike and punish bad ball, create partnerships and this is what I have done."
