Ahmedabad: On the first anniversary of the Ahmedabad plane crash, family members of the victims gathered at the crash site on Friday to pay tribute to their loved ones, while the tragedy continued to evoke painful memories among local residents and survivors’ families.
Among those who visited the site was Kajal, a relative of one of the victims, who recalled the devastating moments when she first learned about the accident.
Speaking to IANS, Kajal said that her brother, Akash, was among those who lost their lives in the crash. She remembered receiving news of the incident and rushing to understand what had happened.
“My brother was sleeping there when the crash occurred. I used to live nearby and came to know that a plane had crashed. When I reached the area, I realised that the accident had taken place in front of my mother’s hotel. I immediately called my sister and grandmother and asked them to check on my mother and brother. However, no one initially told me that my brother Akash had been affected,” she said.
Recalling the tragic sequence of events, Kajal said her mother tried to save Akash after the aircraft crashed into the area, but was unable to do so.
“When the plane crashed, my brother was sleeping there. My mother tried to save him, but she could not reach him in time. My brother lost his life in the incident,” she said, struggling to hold back emotions.
Another family member of a victim, Gurdeep Singh, expressed disappointment over the pace of developments related to the tragedy.
“A year has passed since the crash, but nothing significant has been done in this regard,” he told IANS.
Meanwhile, family members, local residents and officials gathered at the site to pay homage to the victims. British High Commissioner to India, Lindy Cameron, also paid tribute to those who lost their lives in the disaster.
Senior officials from the British High Commission were scheduled to visit the crash site on Friday afternoon. Ahead of their visit, security arrangements were tightened, with police personnel and the Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS) conducting extensive checks in the area.
The Air India Flight AI-171 disaster occurred on June 12, 2025, when the London Gatwick-bound aircraft crashed into a medical hostel complex in Ahmedabad’s Meghaninagar area shortly after take-off. The accident claimed nearly 260 lives, including passengers, crew members and people on the ground, making it one of the deadliest aviation disasters in recent Indian history.
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 former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay 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.
As the tragedy completes one year, grief remains fresh for many families, who continue to seek justice, answers and lasting remembrance for those they lost.
(IANS)
