The couple’s son, Miten Patel, had arrived in Ahmedabad from London to identify his parents’ bodies. However, as none of the remains were recognisable, DNA testing had to be carried out at the Civil Hospital for identification
Shobhana and Ashok Patel, who were among the 241 people onboard Flight 171 who lost their lives on June 12. Pics/By Special Arrangement
Ashok and Shobhana Patel, who had settled in the UK in 1978, lost their lives in the June 12 Flight AI-171 plane crash. After the husband’s body was identified through DNA analysis as match number 98, his family decided to take his remains home for the last rites. However, while they were on their way home in an ambulance, another DNA match — number 99 — was confirmed. It was his wife. Now, the couple will make their final journey together.
The couple’s son, Miten Patel, had arrived in Ahmedabad from London to identify his parents’ bodies. However, as none of the remains were recognisable, DNA testing had to be carried out at the Civil Hospital for identification.
The DNA sample was provided to forensic experts on Sunday, Father’s Day. On Tuesday morning, the hospital informed Miten that his father’s remains had been identified as DNA match number 98. The hospital handed over the body, which was then placed in an ambulance. Just as the ambulance was about to leave the hospital premises, Miten received another call from the Civil Hospital. This time, he was told that his mother’s body had also been identified as DNA match number 99.
The couple had come to India to visit their younger son, Hemen, in Ahmedabad and were returning to London to reunite with Miten when the tragedy occurred. A video posted on X (formerly Twitter) by Rushikesh Patel, Gujarat’s minister of health, family welfare and medical education, shared a video of Miten Patel recounting his parents’ story.
The couple’s sons, Miten (left) and Hemen Patel
In the video, Miten says, “Our parents were always together throughout their lives. They never went anywhere alone. I gave my DNA sample on Father’s Day. On Tuesday, my father’s body was identified, but my mother’s wasn’t, which made me very sad. They told me my father's DNA matched with number 98. I asked about my mother, but they said her body had not yet been identified.”
“We were taking my father’s body home when I received a call from the Civil Hospital saying my mother’s body had been identified. She was DNA match number 99. Now, I am taking both my parents home to London. I thank the Civil Hospital, the Gujarat government, and the Forensic Science Laboratory for their support in identifying my parents’ bodies through DNA testing. Now I am taking both of them home together for their final journey,” Miten added.
DNA analysis progress
So far, DNA samples of 163 deceased individuals have been matched, and the mortal remains of 124 individuals have been handed over to their families. Civil Hospital Superintendent Dr Rakesh Joshi stated during a media briefing that 21 families are expected to receive the remains of their loved ones soon.
Out of the 71 patients admitted to the hospital after the crash, 42 have been discharged, two succumbed to injuries, one is critical, and the rest are under treatment. Dr Joshi stated that 30 medical students had been admitted, of whom only one remains hospitalised now.
Probe panel to submit report in 3 months
A high-level multi-disciplinary committee formed by the Centre to investigate the plane crash will submit its report within three months, Union Minister Murlidhar Mohol said on Tuesday. Air India operates 34 Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft. The safety checks of 12 of them have been done and no issue has been found so far, the Minister of State for Civil Aviation told reporters here. He also expressed hope that an analysis of the plane’s black box data would provide clues about the cause of the crash.
In numbers
Region Bodies returned
Udaipur 2
Vadodara 16
Kheda 10
Ahmedabad 41
Mehsana 5
Botad 1
Jodhpur 1
Aravalli 2
Anand 9
Bharuch 5
Surat 4
Gandhinagar 6
Maharashtra 2
Diu 5
Junagadh 1
Amreli 1
Gir Somnath 3
Mahisagar 1
Bhavnagar 1
London 2
Patan 1
Rajkot 1
Mumbai 3
Nadiad 1
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