In a deeply emotional moment following the Ahmedabad plane crash, the Gujarat Government ensured a dignified farewell for UK-based couple Ashokbhai and Shobhaben Patel – united in both life and death.
The Patels, originally from Gujarat and settled in London since 1978, were among the victims of the tragedy, which happened on June 12.
An Air India flight from Ahmedabad Airport to London Gatwick Airport, crashed into the hostel block of B.J Medical College moments after take-off.
The sons of Ashokbhai and Shobhaben, Miten and Heman, flew to Ahmedabad after being contacted by authorities and provided DNA samples to help identify the bodies.
On Father’s Day (Sunday, June 15), Miten received the news that his father’s DNA had been matched. “It brought peace amid pain,” he said.
But just as they were preparing to take Ashokbhai’s body home, another call came – their mother Shobhaben, had also been identified. She was the 99th match.
“Our parents were never apart,” Miten said. “Even in death, my mother waited to go with him.”
Picture: Supplied by Gujarat Government
The Patel family expressed heartfelt gratitude to the Gujarat Government, Civil Hospital, and forensic teams for their compassionate handling of the process. The couple’s remains will now return to London together where their final rites will be performed – side by side, just as they had always been.
Mr and Mrs Patel were two of the 241 people on board Air India 171. Only one person survived the tragedy – Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, a 39-year-old businessman from Leicester.
