The family of a filmmaker has submitted DNA samples after he went missing on Thursday, with his mobile phone's last location traced to just 700 metres from the devastating Air India plane crash site.
The aircraft crashed into the campus of a medical college in Meghaninagar shortly after taking off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport at 1:39 pm on Thursday, killing 241 of the 242 people on board, along with 29 people on the ground.
Mahesh Kalawadia, also known as Mahesh Jirawala, a resident of Naroda who directs music albums, had gone to meet someone in the Law Garden area that afternoon, according to his wife Hetal.
"My husband called me at 1:14 pm to say his meeting was over and he was heading home. But when he didn't return, I tried calling him, only to find his phone switched off. After informing the police, we found his phone’s last location was just 700 metres from the crash site," she said.
"His phone went off around 1:40 pm, a minute after the ill-fated flight took off. His scooter and mobile are also missing. This is unusual, as he never takes that route while returning home. We have submitted DNA samples to check if he was among those killed on the ground in the crash," Hetal added.
Due to the severity of the crash, many bodies were burnt beyond recognition or severely damaged, prompting authorities to conduct DNA testing to identify the victims.
Three days after the tragic crash of Air India flight AI-171 in Ahmedabad, which has claimed 270 lives so far, hospital officials confirmed on Sunday that 47 victims have been identified through DNA matching. Authorities have since handed over 24 bodies to their respective families.
