Families of Air India crash victims facing ‘pain and frustration' over delays

The aircraft struck a medical college hostel in a residential part of Ahmedabad, killing 241 of the 242 people on board, 52 of whom were British.
The sole surviving passenger was Briton Vishwash Kumar Ramesh.
Relatives of Akeel Nanabawa, his wife Hannaa Vorajee and their four-year-old daughter Sara Nanabawa, who died in the crash, said they felt 'utterly abandoned' by the UK Government and called for more support on the ground in India.
A spokesman for the family, who lived in Gloucester, said they had to make appointments to see consular staff 20 minutes away in a hotel in Ahmedabad while their loved ones 'lie unidentified in an overstretched and under-resourced hospital'.
Foreign Office minister Hamish Falconer told the House of Commons that the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) had set up its reception centre at a hotel close to the airport 'because we thought that would be the best place to receive British nationals rather than the hospital where, tragically, there are no living British nationals'.
He added: 'But we keep these questions under review, as I know from my own experience in tragedies like this, it is difficult to get the assistance that British nationals need right first time, and we will learn lessons as each step goes through.'
Among the Britons believed to have been on the Gatwick-bound flight was Arjun Patoliya, who had flown to Gujarat from London to scatter the ashes of his wife, Bharti.
Others included radiologist Dr Prateek Joshi, from Derby, and sisters Dhir and Heer Baxi, couple Fiongal and Jamie Greenlaw-Meek, and Raxa Modha, Rudra Modha and K Mistri, from Wellingborough.
UK air accident investigators are in India and are assisting the Indian authorities, the Government said.
Relatives of the Nanabawa family said they had 'key concerns' over the 'lack of transparency and oversight in the identification and handling of remains'.
They called for a 'full crisis team' at the hospital within 24 hours, a British-run identification unit, and financial support for relatives of the victims.
Flowers and messages outside the High Commission of India to honour the victims of the Air India crash (James Manning/PA)
Mr Falconer said: 'We are, of course, also in regular close contact with Air India about the support package that they are offering, which includes funding flights and full repatriation costs to bring loved ones home.
'I understand how frustrating it is for families who have not yet been able to lay their loved ones to rest, and I recognise the pain and frustration that this has caused. The Indian authorities are working around the clock with UK support to be able to do this.'
He said the process of identifying remains is 'difficult but necessarily time consuming'.
Asked by West Bromwich MP Sarah Coombes how her constituents can have confidence when they go and visit family in India in the wake of the tragedy, Mr Falconer said 'we will continue to do all that we can' so that 'constituents across the house can feel confident'.
The minister also told MPs that a British Red Cross psychological support officer is also in India 'helping families cope with the tragic, emotional impact'.
An FCDO spokeswoman said: 'Our staff continue to work around the clock in the UK and India to support the families and loved ones of all those impacted by the crash.
'We have set up a reception centre at the Ummed Hotel, near the Ahmedabad airport, and have a dedicated helpline to provide support and advice for the families and friends of British nationals – friends or family should call 020 7008 5000.
'If you are in India, you should call +91 (11) 24192100 for support, including through in-person consular staff who are available to support families of British nationals, including accompanying them to the hospital.
'Furthermore, the UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch has deployed an investigation team to support the Indian-led investigation on the ground, and UK forensic experts are there to support the consular response.'

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Daily Mirror

6 hours ago

• Daily Mirror

Lavender thrives and 'will thank you' if you add 2 things to garden soil now

There's nothing worse than a sad-looking lavender bush, especially if you've planted it at the front of your flowerbed. But there are two things you can add to your soil that will help it thrive Lavender is a quintessential feature of many British gardens, its elegant foliage adding a touch of charm to flowerbeds and borders. It's not just a visual delight either; it serves as a natural pest deterrent, particularly for ants, whilst attracting vital pollinators to the ecosystem. However, a droopy lavender bush can be a real eyesore, especially if it's front and centre in your flowerbed. ‌ Despite being relatively easy to maintain, lavender does require certain care to ensure a healthy and abundant bloom. As a Mediterranean plant that flourishes in sunlight, it doesn't need much watering but does require well-draining soil for optimal growth. ‌ Interestingly, lavender is drought-resistant, and overwatering can lead to root rot if the soil isn't suitable, reports the Express. If you find your lavender looking a bit sparse despite using well-draining soil, horticulturist @ has revealed two additions to your soil that could help your lavender prosper. In a TikTok video, the gardening guru explained that the "two main lavenders you'll come across are English and French lavender". He noted that while English lavender is "a little bit more hardy", French lavender typically "flowers for longer". Despite their differences, it's essential to ensure "free-draining soil is absolutely crucial" for both types of lavender. Free or well-draining soil is defined as soil that allows water to flow through swiftly, creating the arid conditions that lavender thrives in. ‌ Sandy soils are often chosen for plants needing excellent drainage, but Ish also suggests incorporating two additional elements into your soil to make lavender "absolutely thrive". To enhance soil quality and its draining capability, grit and sand can be mixed into the earth. While these additions aid in drainage, it's vital not to overwater. Ish advises keeping lavender in "lightly moist soil", cautioning that many gardeners lose their lavender "because they overwater it or water it daily like most of their plants, and it causes root rot". Neglecting to trim your lavender during the summer may lead to a woody and thin appearance, but subpar soil and excessive watering can "cause black foliage and make it go gooey at the top". Instead, "your lavender will thank you" if you water it sparingly, or even rely on rainfall, ensuring it has time to dry out thoroughly afterwards.

Daily Mirror

10 hours ago

• Daily Mirror

PIP assessment checks that will not change in DWP shake up

The Government says the eligibility criteria for Personal Independence Payments will be changing next year, in a move that will see many people lose out on the benefit The eligibility criteria for Personal Independence Payments (PIP) is set to change next year, limiting the number of people who qualify for the disability benefit. However, this will only impact 10 out of the 12 questions on the PIP assessment. The final two activities on the assessment, which are about the mobility element of PIP, are set to remain unaffected by the welfare reforms. At the lower end, the mobility element of PIP offers £29.20 per week, but can provide up to £77.05 on the enhanced rate. ‌ Turn2Us, a charity helping people in poverty, says the first of the PIP checks that won't be affected is around planning and following journeys. This question assesses how safely, quickly and efficiently you can plan and execute a journey. ‌ READ MORE: High blood sugar and pressure can be lowered by eating these carbohydrate - filled foods You'll score no points if you can plan how to get somewhere, and find your way there, without any assistance. Four points are available if you need someone with you to leave the house and eight points if you can't plan how to get somewhere. Ten points are awarded if you can't leave the house or travel to a new place without the help of someone else or an aid like a guide dog, cane or braille map. The maximum number of points available is 12, for those that can't travel to a place they already know without the help of someone else or a special aid, reports the Liverpool Echo. The second check being left untouched by the reform is moving around. This largely focuses on the distance you can cover comfortably and safely. If you're able to stand and move more than 200 metres, with or without an aid, you'll score no points. You can earn four points if you can move between 50 and 200 metres with or without an aid, or eight points if you can move up to 50 metres without an aid. Should you require an aid to move up to 50 metres, you could be awarded 10 points. If you can only move 20 metres, can't stand or can't even move one metre without a special aid, you may be eligible for 12 points. ‌ To qualify for the mobility component of PIP, you need to accumulate a total of eight points across both of these activities for the standard rate. To receive the enhanced rate, you need to tally 12 points in total. The other 10 activities in the PIP assessment that are being affected relate to the daily living component of PIP. This offers up to £110.40 per week on the enhanced rate. At present, you need a minimum of eight points across all 10 questions to get the standard rate and 12 points in total to get the enhanced rate. However, by next November, applicants will also need to secure four points in any single activity. The other 10 checks are about: Taking nutrition Preparing food Reading and understanding signs, symbols and words Engaging with other people face to face Dressing and undressing Managing toilet needs or incontinence Managing therapy or monitoring a health condition Communicating verbally Making budgeting decisions Washing and bathing

Daily Mirror

11 hours ago

• Daily Mirror

'Swooping seagulls who steal your food need pity not hate'

Birding expert Stuart Winter reveals the sad reason that seagulls have become such seaside pests, brazenly stealing food from out of people's mouths A family beach picnic serenaded by lapping waves and lilting gull cries was hardly the time or place for a half-term lesson on seabird ecology. My three grandchildren's eyes began glazing over the moment I started lecturing them on why our most maligned birds should be loved not loathed. Mention of the dreaded S-word had put me in a flap after the trio witnessed a holidaymaker being relieved of a doughnut by a demonic creature with evil eyes and razor-sharp beak – a seagull! 'Gull, we call them gulls! Never, never seagulls!' I pontificated with the same zeal I had once reprimanded an American for having the temerity to say soccer rather than football. ‌ Standing all schoolmasterly atop a rocky Norfolk breakwater, I explained how herring gulls with their silvery, ink-tipped wings were things of beauty but, sadly, now a Red List Species of Conservation Concern after a 70% UK population crash since the 1970s. ‌ Diminishing food resources because of landfill site closures and reductions in fish discards along with the scourge of bird flu is making survival tough for a creature that has become a pariah for its liking of fast-food scraps. As my afternoon sermon came to an end, all eyes turned to a smoky grey shape gliding elegantly above our heads. 'Gull!' The grandkids declared in unison, each waiting for approval at their correct bird identification. Time for another lecture. Pointing out the stiff wings and rotund body shape of the bird coasting leisurely over the shallows, I declared that rather than a gull we were watching a fulmar – the closest thing to an albatross patrolling British waters. Mere mention of an albatross, the mighty wanderer of storm-lashed southern oceans and ancient rhymes, had them captivated. So close was the fulmar I could point out features shared with its legendary relation: tube-shaped nostrils to distil sea-water and the ability to projectile vomit foul-smelling stomach contents to deter predators. After all the sermonising, I didn't have the temerity to admit that fulmar derives from 'foul seagull' in Old Norse! Can you recognise the wren's song The rock concert season is upon us but the sound of silence has descended on a countryside slouched in summer stillness. Warblers are no longer warbling and cuckoos have called their last. Nightingales have been put on mute. Exhausted robins are resting voices while replenishing feathers worn ragged by the labours of parenthood. Although spring's dawn chorus is a fading earworm, one headbanger still blaring out dawn to dusk is arguably nature's most powerful vocalist by weight to sound. The Eurasian wren, a chocolate-coated, ping pong ball of a bird with a sticky up tail and barrow boy's gape, has a voice that defies its diminutive proportions. Weighing a mere nine grams, the male marks his territory with a 90 decibel song as loud and powerful as a rock drum solo that's audible from a kilometre. Yet there is more to the wren's rat-a-tat song than the five-second paradiddles belted out without respite. Each of its verses contain more than 100 individual beats, many in the high frequency 7-8 kHz range, and repeated incessantly every month of the year. Rudely woken by the proclamations of a particularly raucous wren outside the bedroom window at 4am last week, I was reminded of the first lines of Walter de la Mare's beautiful poem, Jenny Wren: Of all the birds that rove and sing, Near dwellings made for men, None is so nimble, feat, and trim, As Jenny Wren. Wrens have gender identification issues across different cultures. In Germany, they take on a masculine persona and are called Zaunkonig, or Hedge King. Here in Britain, the bird was given the affectionate moniker of the Jenny Wren in the 1640s, largely because of a long-held belief the species was the female partner of the robin. While ear-splitting males are the headline act, one wren vocalisation noted in literature that I would love to hear is the lullaby whispered by mother wrens when incubating eggs or tending fledglings. The gentle sounds are said to be reminiscent of distant twittering swallow song.