Ravi Thakur was delivering lunch tiffins to doctors at a hospital when a passenger aircraft took off from a nearby airport and crashed into a dining facility where his mother, Sarla Ben Thakur, worked as a cook. The crash and subsequent fire resulted in the deaths of his mother and his daughter, Adhya, who had been playing in the kitchen.
The incident, which occurred on June 12, is considered India’s worst aviation disaster in nearly three decades, claiming at least 260 lives, including all but one of the 242 people on board. In the aftermath, Mr. Thakur has sought answers regarding the crash.
A preliminary investigation report released recently indicated that fuel was switched off to both engines shortly after takeoff, leading to a loss of thrust before the aircraft left the airport's perimeter. However, the report did not clarify how or why the fuel was turned off, and it included a brief, unclear exchange between the pilots regarding the fuel switch.
The investigation is ongoing, and conclusive results from plane crash inquiries can take months or even years. Mr. Thakur expressed frustration over the findings, questioning how the fuel pump could have been shut off so quickly after functioning normally.
Among the victims was Dr. Nirali Patel, a dentist from Ontario, Canada, who had returned to Ahmedabad to visit family. Her brother, Umang Patel, criticized the report for failing to provide clarity on the circumstances of the crash.
Family friend Don Patel found the report's findings perplexing, noting the apparent contradiction between the pilots being deemed fit to fly and the confusion in the cockpit regarding the fuel issue. The tragedy has left Mr. Thakur and his wife in shock, as they had no involvement with the flight.
In the days following the crash, the hospital where Mr. Thakur delivered food became a morgue for victims, with many bodies so severely damaged that extensive DNA testing was required for identification. It took over three weeks to identify all the victims.
Mr. Thakur visited the hospital daily, seeking answers from the doctors he knew. His wife's health deteriorated under the stress, and their son, Madhav, began asking about his sister. It was only a week after the crash that Mr. Thakur was informed of the identification of his relatives' bodies, allowing the family to conduct final rites.
On the day the preliminary report was released, Mr. Thakur's social media was filled with memories of Adhya, including photos of her joyful moments. Reflecting on their loss, he expressed a deep sense of grief, wishing he could have shared more experiences with her.