Imtiyaz Ali Sayed is not ready to grieve.
Even after learning that his younger brother Javed, along with Javed’s wife and two children, were on the Air India flight that crashed in Ahmedabad, he can’t believe they’re gone. Ten hours after the crash, at 3 AM, Mr. Sayed is still walking through the hospital hallways, refusing to sit or accept what’s happened.
Out of the 242 people on board the flight to London, only one person survived. Authorities are now using DNA tests to identify the victims. Mr. Sayed, a businessman from Mumbai, says he won’t stop searching until he sees his brother’s body with his own eyes.
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“They were my life. If I stop looking now, I may never be able to recover,” he says.
He shows photos on his phone of his niece and nephew, some taken just before they boarded the flight.
He also shares the messages he sent to Javed after hearing about the crash.
“Look,” he says, pointing to his phone. “They’re still getting delivered. That must mean something, right?”
The Crash and Its Impact
The crash happened shortly after the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner took off from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. The plane caught fire and crashed into a building at BJ Medical College.
A local resident, Mukesh, said:
“There was a loud roar, then a crash, and suddenly metal and fire rained from the sky.”
At least eight people on the ground also died. Rescuers said the plane was so badly destroyed that it was hard to tell apart human remains from pieces of the aircraft.
The area still smells of smoke, and wreckage continued burning into the night.
Grief and Waiting
At the Civil Hospital in Ahmedabad, many families are waiting in pain and confusion.
Sameer Shaikh’s son Irfan was part of the flight crew. He usually texted before takeoff and after landing. So when Air India called, the family was shocked.
“Instead of a message from my son, we got the news that he died in the crash.”
Mr. Shaikh and his family flew from Pune to Ahmedabad. Though they recognized Irfan’s body, the police didn’t allow them to take it home right away.
“They told us to wait three days until DNA testing is done. How do we wait when we know it’s our son?”
More Families Affected
The crash site was also tragic for those on the ground. The plane hit the hostel building of BJ Medical College, killing and injuring more people.
Payal Thakur is looking for her mother, Sarla, who worked as a cook at the hostel. She had stayed back to cook lunch for students when the plane crashed into the building.
“We haven’t found her yet,” Payal says. Her cousin, who was with Sarla, is also missing.
Her father searched the kitchen area but only found water and debris.
Campus in Shock
Students at the medical college described the moment of the crash as terrifying.
“The whole building shook, windows rattled, and we all ran outside,” one student said.
Some students were hurt so badly they had to be rushed to the ICU.
By evening, the college campus was silent. Backpacks and meals were left behind as everyone ran. The air was filled with smoke, sirens, and grief.
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This tragedy has left many families shattered, waiting for answers, closure, and the return of their loved ones.
