Air India crash: Crew member Irfan Shaikh laid to rest in Pimpri Chinchwad after DNA match; emotional farewell as family recalls his aviation dreams

NEW DELHI: The remains of
Irfan Shaikh
, a 22-year-old crew member of the ill-fated Air India flight AI 171, were laid to rest at Pimpri Chinchwad in Maharashtra on Saturday after an emotional farewell by relatives and friends.
Shaikh was among the 241 passengers who died when the London-bound Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed into a building at a medical college complex in Ahmedabad on June 21.
The Shaikh family received Irfan's remains following a DNA match on Friday, which were then transported to Pune in the early hours of Saturday.
The final rites took place at a graveyard in Nehru Nagar, attended by family members, neighbors, friends, and political leaders from various parties.
The crash, which occurred moments after takeoff from the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad, also claimed the lives of 29 people on the ground.
"Irfan joined the aviation industry as a cabin crew member two years ago after completing a course. He initially worked with Vistara, and after the Air India-Vistara merger, he began flying on international routes," a relative said.
A family member shared that the young crew member had aspirations to excel in the aviation field, but the tragic crash cut short his dreams.

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The Hindu

3 hours ago

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