For kin of plane crash victims, it's an agonising wait to get mortal remains of loved ones

Ahmedabad: While the families of the Ahmedabad plane crash victims are already finding it tough to come to terms with the loss of their loved ones, what is adding to their woes is the long wait they have to endure to get their mortal remains.

More than 30 hours have passed since the horrific crash of Air India's London-bound flight in Meghaninagar area of Ahmedabad shortly after its take-off from the city airport snuffed out the lives of 265 people, including 241 passengers and 12 crew members.

So far, the bodies of only six victims were handed over to their families after identification.

As soon as the news of the plane crash was flashed, the distressed family members of those on board frantically tried to contact them and later rushed to the Gujarat city clinging on to hope. Some flew all the way from abroad, some within the country.

Most of the kin gave their blood samples so that their DNA could be matched with the deceased.

"We have been told to wait for 72 hours so that the DNAs could be matched," said Pooja Sukhadare, a relative of Roshni Songhare, a crew member of the ill-fated flight whose family resides at Dombivli in Thane district.

The family came here from Mumbai hours after the crash. Her father had a faint hope that her daughter would have survived the crash.

"But the moment he saw how badly the bodies were charred, the bitter reality sunk in. While the bodies were being lifted, we saw that many of them had become so brittle that some parts turned into powder on touching them," Sukhadare said.

"Roshni's father immediately gave the sample for the DNA at around 10.30 pm on Thursday. Now we only want to get her mortal remains at the earliest," she said.

Sukhadare said the authorities should at least give information on the status of their DNA matching.

She, however, acknowledges the workload and pressure the administration has been facing.

Inside the DNA collection centre at the B J Medical College, the family of Ankita Patel, too, waited patiently.

The family from Gujarat's Mehsana district had come to drop Ankita at the airport on Thursday morning. They had barely crossed half-way to Mehsana when they got the news of the air crash.

"Ankita's brother gave the DNA samples on Thursday night. Now, we are waiting for her mortal remains," said Gayatri Patel, Ankita's sister-in-law.

Similar is the case with many waiting outside the morgue.

The oppressive weather conditions added to the agony as the mercury levels touched 37 degrees Celsius, coupled with humidity.

As the doors of the morgue opened and closed when anyone entered and came out, it brought out a breeze of cool air but not without the stench of decaying and decomposing bodies.

Kailash Pratap Thakur (50) is one of the many waiting outside as his wife Sarlaben and two-year granddaughter Aadya have been missing since the crash. Both were in the hostel mess when the accident occurred.

"There is no information about them yet," he said, showing his wife and granddaughter's photos.

He has also given his samples for DNA matching. Somewhere, he knows the bitter truth but finds it hard to accept it.

Metres away, the Patni family also waits similarly. Akash Patni (15) had just returned from his school and was resting on a charpoy at his mother's tea stall when the crash occurred.

His mother also sustained burn injuries and is in a critical state, said Madhuben Patni, Akash's aunt.

"How could we save the boy? He hardly got any chance to escape," she said, showing the image of the charred, stiff body of Akash on the charpoy. His elder brother Kalpesh wants his brother's mortal remains.

But that is easier said than done.

A doctor at the venue where samples are taken said DNA sampling is the only option to verify the bodies of the deceased.

"We are just collecting the samples. The sampling is being done by three forensic labs (two in Gandhinagar and one in Ahmedabad)," he said.

A statement by the Gujarat health department said it would take 72 hours or more for matching the DNA samples of victims with their relatives.

Till then, the victim's family members will have to endure the painful wait.