At least two grieving families in the United Kingdom have received incorrect remains of their loved ones killed in the June 12 Air India crash, their legal representatives have alleged. However, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) responded and said officials “carried out identification of victims as per established protocols”.
The error, according to the legal representatives of the families, was discovered after DNA testing in London failed to match the repatriated remains with family samples, according to lawyers from Keystone Law.
The remains, sent from Ahmedabad following testing at the Civil Hospital, were delivered in sealed coffins. According to sources in India, Air India had no role in the identification or handling of the bodies and was only responsible for facilitating the transfer and assisting bereaved families.
“A family had to abandon their funeral plans after being informed by the London coroner that the coffin did not contain the remains of their loved one,” said the lawyer representing the families. Another family reportedly received a coffin containing the mixed remains of two individuals, requiring separation before proceeding with funeral rites.
Identification Process Under Scrutiny
The remains were initially handed over after DNA sampling by Ahmedabad Civil Hospital, as most bodies were charred beyond recognition. According to a source, Kenyons International Emergency Services, an agency engaged by Air India, assisted relatives during the process, but the hospital retained responsibility for identification.
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A coroner in Inner West London, Dr Fiona Wilcox, uncovered the discrepancies while verifying DNA data. Aviation lawyer James Healy-Pratt, representing several affected British families, confirmed that at least 12 sets of remains had been repatriated to the UK, while others were cremated or buried in India according to family wishes.
Healy-Pratt is now pursuing an inquiry into what he called a “botched” identification process. “Some families received the wrong remains and are clearly distraught,” he said. “Family X have no one to bury because it was the wrong person in their casket. If it isn’t their relative, the question is: who is it?”
Bereaved Families Demand Accountability
Altaf Taju, who lost his parents and brother-in-law in the crash, said families were not allowed to view the remains and relied solely on labelled containers. “They just said, ‘This is your mother or father,’ and gave us a paper label with an ID number,” he told The Daily Mail.
Taju said he found out about the mix-up through a police liaison officer, but was relieved that his own family members were not affected since they were buried in India shortly after the crash.
The Air India flight AI171, bound for London’s Gatwick Airport, crashed on June 12 near Ahmedabad’s Sardar Patel International Airport, killing 260 people. One passenger survived. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is currently analyzing black box data and wreckage evidence to determine the cause of the crash.
MEA response
In response to media queries regarding a report in the Daily Mail on the Air India crash, the official spokesperson of the MEA, Randhir Jaiswal said, “We have seen the report and have been working closely with the UK side from the moment these concerns and issues were brought to our attention. 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.”
