Air India Plane Crash: Metal debris killed teen sleeping under a tree, mother survives

Fourteen-year-old Akash Patni was resting beneath a tree near his family’s tea stall, located close to the BJ Medical College hostel in Ahmedabad’s Meghaninagar area when tragedy struck and made him one of the many victims of one of the deadliest aviation disasters.

Air India’s Ahmedabad-to-London flight became a massive fireball shortly after taking off from the city’s international airport at 1:39 pm on Thursday. Of the 242 people on board, nearly all perished — and among the few killed on the ground was young Akash, PTI reported.

“Akash was sleeping under a tree near the tea stall, which is adjacent to the hostel building into which the aircraft crashed. His mother Sitaben was preparing tea at the time. First, a large metal piece fell on Akash's head and then he was engulfed in flames,” recounted his aunt Chandaben, who along with other kin stood outside the civil hospital's post-mortem room.

“Sitaben sustained severe burns during an unsuccessful attempt to save Akash. She is now hospitalised. Akash's body was charred beyond recognition and his father has given samples for DNA tests,” the aunt said.

At the mortuary of the civil hospital, Suresh Mistry from Anand Town also submitted his DNA sample as part of the process of identifying the body of his 21-year-old daughter Krina Mistry.

“Krina had received a work permit visa for London a year back. She recently came back to Anand and met with an accident. After her dental surgery, she was going back to London on the ill-fated flight,” said Suresh, who is staying at a hotel while he waits for the DNA test results.

Key Takeaways

• The impact of aviation disasters can extend beyond the flight itself, affecting innocent bystanders.
• The psychological toll on families of victims is profound and long-lasting.
• Emergency protocols and safety measures are crucial to prevent such tragedies.