Air India Crash: UK Families Receive Wrong or Mixed Human Remains

Distraught relatives accuse forensic teams and consular services of critical errors

Families in the UK whose loved ones perished in the Air India 171 crash in Ahmedabad on June 12 have reported receiving incorrect or commingled human remains, lawyers representing them revealed.

Grave Errors Alleged

Lawyers acting for the affected British families have stated they have been repeatedly told of mistakes involving mixed remains. **Sarah Stewart**, an aviation partner at Stewarts law firm, commented to the publication, Our clients feel that they were let down, with allegedly apparent mistakes by the forensic teams in India and insufficient support by British consular services, the foreign office and the British crisis response teams for the families of those British citizens killed in the accident.

Similarly, **Demetrius Danas**, a specialist aviation lawyer at Irwin Mitchell, noted that some families have received remains that do not belong to their relatives. He added that this situation raises serious questions around the recovery and repatriation process and only serves to intensify the hurt and pain they continue to face.

Around twelve bodies have been repatriated to the UK to date. **James Healy-Pratt**, an aviation partner at Keystone Law, stated that his firm represents approximately twenty victim families and expects PM Starmer to raise these serious issues with PM Modi this week in London. He emphasized, The families deserve urgent answers and assurances about the whereabouts of their loved ones.

Official Responses and Investigations

The Indian government, through MEA spokesperson **Randhir Jaiswal**, clarified that victims were identified according to established protocols and technical requirements. He added that India is continuing to work with the UK authorities on addressing any concerns related to this issue and that all remains were handled with utmost professionalism and with due regard for the dignity of the deceased.

A UK government spokesperson stated that the formal identification of bodies is the responsibility of Indian authorities. However, all repatriated remains are undergoing independent investigation in the UK by the Inner West London Senior Coroner. This coroner initiated an inquest into 12 deaths on July 9. To assist the UK’s consular response and understand in-country victim identification processes, disaster victim identification experts from the UK have been dispatched to Ahmedabad.

Devastating Discoveries

Reports from the Daily Mail detail distressing incidents, including one family abandoning funeral plans after being told the coffin contained an unknown passenger’s body. In another instance, “commingled” remains from multiple victims were mistakenly placed in a single casket, requiring separation before a funeral could proceed.

**Miten Patel**, whose parents **Shobhana** and **Ashok Patel** both died in the crash, told the BBC that the coroner informed him of “other remains” found in his mother’s casket. He stressed the need for accountability, stating, There has to be a level of responsibility that you’re sending the right bodies to the UK.

The extent of the repatriation issues came to light when Inner West London senior coroner Professor **Fiona Wilcox** attempted to verify the identities of repatriated Britons by cross-referencing DNA samples provided by families.

The handling of remains is a critical issue. In 2023, the UK’s Hillsborough disaster inquiry highlighted the importance of accurate identification and respectful treatment of victims’ remains, emphasizing the profound impact on bereaved families when these processes fail. The current situation echoes some of these deeply sensitive concerns.

**James Healy-Pratt** of Keystone Law shared his experience with families, noting, I’ve been sitting down in the homes of these lovely British families over the last month, and the first thing they want is their loved ones back. But some of them have got the wrong remains and they are clearly distraught over this. I think these families deserve an explanation. He concluded with a pressing question for one family, One family now has no one to bury because it was the wrong person in their casket. And if isn’t their relative, the question is, who is it in that coffin?