Background on Ravi Thakor and the Tragedy
Ravi Thakor, a cook at the university residence, left his two-year-old daughter and mother behind when he and his wife went out to deliver lunches just thirty minutes before the Air India plane crashed into the residence in Ahmedabad, India. Since then, Thakor has been desperately searching for his mother and daughter in hospitals and the morgue, all to no avail.
The Unfolding Search and Hope
Thakor initially thought the loud noise he heard was a gas cylinder explosion, but soon realized that the residence building he had just left was engulfed in flames. He has been searching for his loved ones in hospitals and the morgue, hoping against all odds.
“If one of the plane’s passengers could survive the crash, there might be a second miracle, and my mother and daughter could also be safe,” Thakor told Reuters outside one hospital, visibly distressed. His wife, Lalita, stood by his side.
“We know the chances of finding them alive are slim, but we haven’t lost hope,” Thakor added.
The Devastating Impact of the Air India Plane Crash
The tragic accident claimed at least 271 lives, including all 241 passengers and crew members on board the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, as well as those on the ground, mostly in the residence building. Thakor and his wife have provided their DNA samples to hospital authorities, but they are still uncertain if there have been any matches among the deceased.
Families of the victims have been waiting for days to take possession of their loved ones’ remains, as DNA profiling and identification processes require time. According to Rajnish Patel, the additional superintendent of the hospital, only DNA matches have been found for 32 of the deceased so far.
The Day of the Crash
On the fateful Thursday, when the plane crashed into the residence’s dining hall, numerous students were having lunch. Upon visiting the site later, Reuters observed some intact tables with steel cups and plates still containing food amidst the wreckage.
Thakor’s mother was in the middle of cooking when he and his wife left that day, having just put their daughter to sleep in a wooden swing. “It’s possible that someone took my daughter amidst the chaos,” Thakor said.
The Miraculous Survivor
Among the 242 passengers on board, only Viswashkumar Ramesh, a 40-year-old man, managed to survive the crash with minor injuries after squeezing through a shattered emergency hatch.
Key Questions and Answers
- Who is Ravi Thakor? Ravi Thakor is a cook at a university residence in Ahmedabad, India.
- What happened during the Air India plane crash? A Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed into a university residence’s dining hall, killing at least 271 people, including passengers and those on the ground.
- Why is Thakor hopeful? Thakor believes in a “second miracle” after learning that one passenger survived the crash with minor injuries.
- What is the current status of identifying victims? DNA profiling and identification processes are ongoing, with matches found for only 32 deceased individuals so far.
- What is Thakor’s situation regarding his missing family members? Thakor and his wife have provided their DNA samples, but they are still uncertain if there have been any matches among the deceased.
