Air India Crash Repatriation Sparks Outrage in UK as British Families Receive Wrong Bodies

A serious diplomatic and humanitarian issue has emerged following the tragic Air India AI-171 crash on June 12, as multiple British families have reportedly received the wrong mortal remains of their loved ones. The crash, which claimed more than 275 lives—including 52 British nationals—has now triggered an international controversy over alleged mishandling of repatriation procedures.

According to a detailed report by The Daily Mail, several grieving families in the UK were shocked to discover that the remains they received did not belong to their relatives. In one instance, a funeral was halted after the family suspected a mix-up. In another troubling case, two victims’ remains were found in the same coffin.

The chaos was reportedly uncovered when Inner West London coroner Dr. Fiona Wilcox requested DNA verification before authorising funerals. This led to the discovery that some bodies were either wrongly identified or mismanaged during the repatriation process. A high-level inquiry is now underway, and according to UK media , British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is expected to raise the issue directly with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Aviation lawyer James Healy-Pratt, who represents several families, described the situation as heartbreaking. “Some of them have got the wrong remains and they are clearly distraught. It’s been going on for weeks. These families deserve an explanation,” he said.

Healy-Pratt confirmed that the remains of at least 12 British victims have been returned so far, but the accuracy of those identifications is now under scrutiny. Some families have been left in limbo, uncertain whether they have received their actual loved ones.

The identification process in India reportedly began soon after the horrific crash, which occurred just seconds after takeoff from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. The Air India aircraft crashed into the hostel building of BJ Medical College, bursting into flames due to the heavy fuel load for the long-haul flight to London.

Among the 242 onboard, including 12 crew members, only one passenger survived—Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, a British citizen of Indian origin. He remains in stable condition and is under medical supervision in London.

The identification process, conducted by local Indian authorities and the state disaster response teams, included DNA sampling and dental records due to the extreme heat—estimated at over 1,500 degrees Celsius—during the crash. Indian officials had claimed by June 28 that all bodies had been identified through DNA matching and were ready for repatriation.

However, the recent developments have cast a shadow over the credibility of that process. There is also growing concern that some victims may have been buried or cremated in India without proper verification, according to sources cited by the Daily Mail.