Ahmedabad, June 12, 2026
A year after the devastating Ahmedabad plane crash claimed 260 lives, grief remains as fresh as ever for the families of the victims. On the first anniversary of the tragedy, relatives and survivors revisited painful memories, speaking about the emotional void left behind by their loved ones and the trauma that continues to haunt them.
Speaking to reporters, Sureshbhai Metaria, father of victim Akash Metaria, said the tragedy had shattered his family and changed their lives forever.
“My son is no longer with us. He used to bring tiffin for his mother every day. On that day, I had gone in an auto-rickshaw to receive him. I pray that such an incident never happens anywhere in the world and that no family has to endure this kind of suffering. Such tragedies destroy lives. My life has been ruined,” he said.
Struggling to hold back tears, Metaria described the emotional toll the loss has taken on the family.
“We do not feel like doing anything anymore. We do not even feel like staying at home. Whenever we enter the house, family members start crying. Within minutes, memories overwhelm us. My son could not escape because the plane crashed directly on him,” he said.
Another victim’s family member said they were still waiting for answers and justice.
“We are hoping that we will get justice. My mother was on her way to meet my brother when the tragedy occurred. My brother has been living in London for the last three years,” the family member said.
Saud Memon, who lost four members of his family in the crash, recalled the heartbreaking moment he learned about the disaster.
“Four members of my family were on that flight — my brother, sister-in-law and their two children. I was in college when a friend called me and sent me a few names because he knew my brother was returning to London. What happened that day is something none of us can ever forget,” Memon told IANS.
“My brother had come home to celebrate Eid. We were all very happy. When it was time for him to return to London, I even accompanied him to the airport. We still have not received clear answers about why this tragedy happened,” he added.
Memon also showed reporters the last photograph he had taken with his family at the airport before their departure.
Meanwhile, survivor Kalpana Ben recounted the terrifying moments after the crash.
“A girl cried out to me, saying, ‘Masi, please get me out, there is a fire.’ I reached out to help her, and my hand got burned. After rescuing her, I somehow managed to escape. My saree, dupatta, mobile phone and even my shoes were burnt. My feet were badly injured. People were running in panic. I could barely stand and had to crawl on my knees. My hands and knees were severely burnt due to the intense heat,” she recalled.
The London-bound Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed into the hostel complex of B.J. Medical College in the Meghani Nagar area, killing 241 of the 242 people on board and 19 people on the ground, according to official reports.
The crash was one of India’s deadliest aviation disasters in recent years and led to widespread national mourning, with emergency teams carrying out large-scale rescue and identification operations.
The sole survivor of the aircraft was a British national, Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, who escaped from seat 11A.
Authorities later said that DNA testing was required to identify many victims due to severe burns and impact damage, and hundreds of personnel were deployed for recovery and investigation work.
Former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani was among those killed in the incident and was later identified through DNA analysis.
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) continues to probe the cause of the crash, with preliminary findings previously pointing to technical and operational factors, though a conclusion has not yet been released.
The accident also triggered longer-term changes at the crash site, with the damaged hostel complex of B.J. Medical College being earmarked for reconstruction into a larger facility as part of state government redevelopment plans following the disaster.
While an initial investigation report has been released, the final report is still awaited. Questions surrounding possible pilot actions, technical failures and the fuel cutoff switch theory continue to be examined by investigators. Families of the victims are still awaiting answers, accountability and closure.
Meanwhile, Air India has denied allegations that families of the victims are being pressured to sign legal waivers in exchange for compensation. The Tata Group-owned airline said there is “absolutely no deadline or pressure” on anyone to accept its final settlement offer.
The clarification came after allegations by the daughter of Rupani, who was among the 260 people killed in the crash. She claimed that the airline was exerting pressure on families to sign legal documents related to compensation claims.(Agency)
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