Air India crash fallout: Wrong bodies sent to UK families, investigation underway

The repatriation of some of the British victims of the tragic Air India crash on June 12, 2025 has reportedly been mishandled, with grieving families receiving the wrong remains.

According to The Daily Mail, the mix-up has caused immense distress, forcing one family to abandon a funeral and another to discover two victims’ remains placed in the same coffin.

The issue came to light when Inner West London coroner Dr Fiona Wilcox reportedly requested DNA verification for the British victims to confirm identities against samples submitted by their families.

The UK government has launched a high-level inquiry into the matter, and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is reportedly expected to raise the issue directly with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi when they meet on Thursday.

Aviation lawyer James Healy-Pratt, who represents several affected British families, confirmed that the remains of at least 12 victims have been repatriated so far.

“I’ve spent time with these lovely British families over the last month, and the first thing they want is their loved ones returned,” Healy-Pratt told The Daily Mail. “But some have clearly received the wrong remains, and they are understandably distraught. This has been going on for weeks. These families deserve answers.”

The identification process began immediately after the deadly crash on June 12, 2025, which claimed over 275 lives — including 52 British nationals — when Air India flight AI 171 crashed shortly after take-off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad.

The aircraft slammed into a hostel on the BJ Medical College campus and exploded in a massive fireball, due to its full fuel load for the London-bound journey.

Of the 242 people onboard — including 12 crew members — only one person survived: British national of Indian origin Vishwash Kumar Ramesh.

The impact and fire, which generated temperatures reaching 1,500°C, left most of the bodies unrecognisable. Indian authorities, alongside the State Disaster Response Force, used sniffer dogs, advanced equipment, DNA samples, and in severe cases, dental records to identify victims. By 28 June, Indian officials claimed all fatalities had been positively identified.

Meanwhile, some victims were cremated or buried in India, according to Healy-Pratt. The repatriated bodies were flown to the UK aboard Air India flights.

As the investigation continues, families are calling for greater transparency and accountability to ensure dignity and accuracy in such sensitive procedures, especially in the wake of a national tragedy.