New Delhi: Among the 241 lives lost in Thursday’s tragic Air India Flight AI-171 crash were Riddhi Godhaniya, 35, and her son Kriaan. The mother and son lived in London and had travelled to India to spend time with extended family in Porbandar, Gujarat. Their story has added a deeply personal dimension to the mishap.
The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner departed from Ahmedabad at around 1:40 pm and was en route to London Gatwick, carrying 230 passengers and 12 crew members. Riddhi had returned to her hometown of Porbandar a week earlier, along with Kriaan.
Homecoming proved fatal
What was meant to be a joyous family reunion ended in tragedy when the aircraft crashed into a hostel at BJ Medical College shortly after takeoff.
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Rescue teams from the IAF, NDRF, BSF and local authorities responded swiftly to the blaze, battling intense flames to carry out rescue operations. Forensic investigators are now relying on dental and DNA samples to identify the victims, as many bodies remain unrecognisable.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the site of the Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crash that killed 241 people in Ahmedabad. PM Modi said he was stunned by the tragedy. “It is heartbreaking beyond words. In this sad hour, my thoughts are with everyone affected by it. I have been in touch with Ministers and authorities who are working to assist those affected,” he said in a post on X on Thursday.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu also visited the site to oversee rescue operations.
Rescue operations underway
The ill-fated plane carried 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, seven Portuguese nationals and one Canadian national. Notable victims included Vijay Rupani, former Chief Minister of Gujarat. The cause of the Ahmedabad Air India crash is still under investigation. Preliminary factors being considered include a possible dual engine failure due to bird strikes or fuel contamination, as well as a loss of lift due to flap malfunction.
