Dubai: It was the last picture taken of Indian expatriate father Murtaza Faisal holding his daughter Aysha Dua at Dubai International Airport on Friday, August 7. Little did Murtaza know that it would be the last picture of him with his daughter. Within hours of this picture being taken, Murtaza lost his little daughter who succumbed to her injuries on Friday, following the fatal crash of the Air India Express flight from Dubai to Kozhikode.
In a telephone call to Gulf News from Dubai airport, on his way to Kozhikode, Murtaza (31) could not hold his emotions and tears back as he shared the memories of his child.
The Indian expat who works as a team leader for a private company dealing in telecom products, said his wife Sumayya Thasneem (27), who was also on the same flight, was in the intensive care unit of Calicut Medical College. The body of Aysha was also kept at the same hospital.
Murtaza said he spoke to his wife, but did not inform her of the child’s death. “I just told her that our baby was in another hospital and that she should focus on recovering as soon as possible,” Murtaza said.
“My wife and child came on a visit visa on March 1. We decided that both should leave in August. When the latest phase of Vande Bharat Mission flights was announced, I booked them for the August 7 flight to Kozhikode. I wish I had picked another date,” the distraught father said.
“I will have to travel for another three hours or so to Kochi. I am not able to fly directly to Kozhikode as the airport is shut for now. My life has changed forever. Life will never be the same again. Right now, I want my wife to get better and slowly we will pick up our lives,” he said.
India expat's mother died
A sad son was also on his way to bid farewell to his mother who succumbed to her injuries sustained in Friday’s crash.
Lailabi K.V, 51, a mother and grandmother, died in the crash. She was visiting her son Baneef Ummer (29) and husband in the UAE and was on a visit visa. “My mother stayed with us for over two months. We had one of the best times. Her last words were to take care of my child and be a good father.”
Baneef said his father Ummer Kunnattel, (59), was in a state of shock and unable to speak much. The family — Baneef and his wife and child, along with his father Ummer, will be taking a flydubai flight to Kozhikode at 3.30pm from Dubai today to bid farewell to Laila.
“I am here in Dubai on visit visa, with diabetes and a medical condition. As my medicines are over, I need to consult a doctor back home and get the refill of medicine,” Lailabi had reportedly written to the Indian mission earlier as she was stranded here.
