‘He called our mother that morning…': Air India crew member Deepak Pathak, who died in Ahmedabad plane crash, cremated
Air India crew member Deepak Pathak, who died in Ahmedabad plane crash on June 12, was cremated on Saturday at a Badlapur crematorium in the presence of thousands of mourners.
Tears rolled down the faces as the coffin arrived at his residence in Rawal Complex on Ambernath-Badlapur Road.
His body was handed over to his family members after a nine-day-long identification process, confirmed through DNA testing.
34-year-old Pathak, who had been serving the national carrier for the past 11 years, was among the crew members aboard the ill-fated London-bound flight AI-171, carrying 242 passengers.
Pathak's large portrait accompanied the coffin, standing as a silent tribute as mourners offered floral respects.
The funeral procession witnessed an overwhelming turnout.
Deepak Pathak was the third of the five siblings and had got married four years ago. He is survived by his elderly parents, wife, and two married sisters.
His family members recalled that he had shared his photos on social media just before the flight took off from the Ahmedabad international airport.
"He called our mother that morning and just said 'good morning'. That was the last time we heard his voice," his sister had said. "We couldn't speak often because of our schedules, but my mother and I would always talk about him."
In the last few days, the last rites of Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, pilot in command of the Air India plane, cabin supervisor Shradha Dhavan, senior crew member Aparna Mahadik, and crew member Maithili Patil - all from Maharashtra- were conducted in their respective hometowns.
Nine days after the Ahmedabad plane crash, the process to identify several victims is still underway as the authorities have asked eight families to submit the DNA sample of another relative as the previous ones failed to match.
Since many of the bodies were burnt beyond recognition or damaged otherwise, authorities are carrying out DNA tests to establish the identity of victims of the horrific tragedy.
Until Friday, DNA samples of 231 deceased have been matched and 210 bodies handed over to families.
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The Hindu
4 hours ago
- The Hindu
Ahmedabad plane crash: 247 victims identified through DNA tests; 232 bodies given to kin as of June 21
A total of 247 victims of the horrific June 12 Ahmedabad plane crash have been identified through DNA tests so far and 232 bodies have been handed over to their families, officials said on Saturday (June 21, 2025). The authorities have asked the families of eight victims to submit the DNA samples of another relative, as the previous ones failed to match, they said. Police said the matching of DNA samples confirmed that Ahmedabad-based filmmaker Mahesh Jirawala, who was reported missing following the crash, died in the catastrophe. His mortal remains were handed over to his family. In Maharashtra, relatives and friends gave an emotional farewell to Deepak Pathak and Irfan Shaikh — two crew members of the ill-fated flight — at Badlapur in Thane district and in Pimpri-Chinchwad near Pune city respectively. The London-bound aircraft crashed into a hostel complex in Meghaninagar moments after taking off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport at 1.39 p.m. that day, killing 270 persons, including 241 on board. One passenger survived. Authorities are carrying out DNA tests to establish the identity of the victims as many bodies were charred beyond recognition as the aircraft burst into flames or damaged on impact. 'Till Saturday evening, 247 DNA samples have matched. Relatives of these deceased were contacted. So far, mortal remains of 232 victims have been handed over to families. The process is continuing,' Ahmedabad Civil Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr. Rakesh Joshi said. The 247 victims who have been identified comprise 187 Indians, 52 Britons, seven Portuguese nationals and a Canadian, he said. Of the 187 Indians, a total of 175 were on board the ill-fated aircraft, he said, adding they belong to areas in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Diu and Nagaland. The state government had earlier stated that samples of 250 victims, including persons on board the ill-fated flight as well as those killed on the ground, were collected for identification. The families of eight victims have been asked to give a sample of another relative for DNA tests after the first one did not match, Dr. Joshi said. 'Unless there is a match, bodies cannot be handed over to the kin. When there is no match for a longer period of time, then you can ask for another sample from another relative. If one sibling has given the sample, then a sample of another sibling is sought for matching the DNA with that of the victim,' he said. 'We generally prefer a sample of father or son/daughter. If not, then we take a sample of another available member,' Dr. Joshi added.
Time of India
5 hours ago
- Time of India
AI crew member Deepak Pathak's body reaches home in Badlapur for final rites
Badlapur: The body of Air India cabin crew member and Badlapur-resident Deepak Pathak, 32, who died in the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad, was identified on Friday, a week after the incident. His body reached his home on Saturday, where hundreds of people attended his funeral. His last rites were performed at the cremation ground in Badlapur. Deepak's elderly parents, wife, and both sisters were inconsolable. His relatives, Air India employees and senior officials were among those present for the last rites. Pathak worked in Air India for 11 years and was posted as a cabin crew member a few months ago. After the incident, his two sisters and brother-in-law waited in Ahmedabad for the body. The DNA test of the sisters was done twice, but Deepak's body could not be identified as their DNA did not match his. Later, doctors took DNA samples from Deepak's mother, who was in Badlapur. Her son's body was identified on Friday, eight days after the incident. On Saturday morning, Deepak's body reached JD Rawal Complex in the Katrap area of Badlapur, where he resided. When the ambulance arrived at the complex with the coffin, Air India officials arranged to take his body to his home first for the family members. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Perdagangkan CFD Emas dengan Broker Tepercaya IC Markets Mendaftar Undo Deepak's body was then brought to a place in the complex for the last darshan, where hundreds of people paid tribute to him with tearful eyes. Sandesh Patil, a resident of the complex, said, "Deepak was like a brother to us; we are all saddened by his death." Pathak's family said that on the day of the incident, June 12, he was not assigned duty on the flight. He was on sick leave and was scheduled for a trip to London on June 14. However, he received a call from officials citing an emergency on June 11, so he left for Ahmedabad. The family said Deepak was a dedicated employee, but if he had refused to resume duty that day, he would have been alive today.
The Hindu
5 hours ago
- The Hindu
Ahmedabad plane crash: Nine days on, process to ascertain identity of victims continues
Nine days after the Ahmedabad plane crash, the process to identify several victims is still under way as the authorities have asked eight families to submit the DNA sample of another relative as the previous ones failed to match. The Ahmedabad-based filmmaker Mahesh Jirawala , was reported missing following the June 12 air crash. The police said that the matching of DNA samples confirmed that he died in the catastrophe, following which his mortal remains were handed over to his family. Jirawala, 34, was passing by from the area on his two-wheeler just when the London-bound plane plunged into a hostel complex, he said. Also read | No DNA match with first sample, kin of eight Ahmedabad plane crash victims asked to give another sample In Maharashtra, relatives and friends gave an emotional farewell to Deepak Pathak and Irfan Shaikh — two crew members of the ill-fated flight — at Badlapur in Thane district and in Pimpri-Chinchwad near Pune city respectively. The London-bound Air India flight AI-171 carrying 242 passengers and crew members crashed in Ahmedabad moments after it took off from the city airport last Thursday, killing all but one on board, and 29 on the ground as the aircraft smashed into a medical complex in the Meghaninagar area. Since many of the bodies were burnt beyond recognition or damaged otherwise, authorities are carrying out DNA tests to establish the identity of victims of the horrific tragedy. Until Friday, DNA samples of 231 deceased have been matched and 210 bodies handed over to families. However, families of eight victims have been asked to give a sample of another relative for DNA tests after the first one did not match, an official said. 'Unless there is a match, bodies cannot be handed over to the kin,' Ahmedabad Civil Hospital's medical superintendent Rakesh Joshi said. 'When there is no match for a longer period of time, then you can ask another sample from another relative. If one sibling has given the sample, then a sample of another sibling is sought for matching the DNA with that of the victim,' Mr. Joshi said. 'We generally prefer a sample of father or son/daughter. If not, then we take a sample of another available member,' Mr. Joshi added. He, however, clarified that samples of siblings have matched in the process. There are at least eight such families whose first sample has not matched, so another sample was sought. Mr. Joshi had said on Friday said that since the DNA matching process is highly sensitive and involves legal protocols, it is being conducted with utmost seriousness and speed. To ensure that families receive the bodies of their loved ones quickly, the Forensic Science University, along with associated institutions, local administrative authorities, the State government's health and other departments, and various agencies are working tirelessly. Joint Commissioner of Police, Sector 2, Jaipalsinh Rathore said the DNA test confirmed that Jirawala died as a result of the plane crash, but as his family members were still in disbelief, the police collected and presented other evidence, such as CCTV footage of the road and his burnt scooter, in order to clear their doubts from their mind and convince them. ' Jirawala's family took his body on Friday after the DNA test confirmed his identity. His scooter, which was destroyed in the fire, was also recovered from near the crash site. The chassis and engine number also matched with the registration documents of the scooter,' he said. i Soon after the crash, the mobile phone of Jirawala, got switched off and he never returned home as he had promised to his wife Hetal. Talking to the presspersons, she said her husband, who was also known as Mahesh Kalavadiya, was a filmmaker and used to direct music albums. On the day of the plane crash, Jirawala went to meet someone at the Law Garden area. At 1.14 p.m., he called his wife and told her that his meeting was over and that he was on his way home. However, when he did not return, she called on his number but found it switched off. After the police were intimated, their investigation found that as per the last location of his mobile phone he was 700 metres away from the crash site. In Badlapur, the mortal remains of crew member Pathak were consigned to flames at a crematorium in the presence of thousands of mourners. The body of Pathak, 34, who had been serving the national carrier for the past 11 years, was handed over to his family members after a nine-day-long identification process, confirmed through DNA testing. Family, friends, neighbours, and people from all walks of life walked behind the flower-bedecked truck carrying Pathak's coffin to the crematorium. Pimpri Chinchwad-based Shaikh family had received 22-year-old Irfan's remains after a DNA match on Friday, and they were brought to Pune in the early hours. His last rites were held at a graveyard in Nehru Nagar in the presence of family, neighbours, friends, and leaders from across political parties.
