Two Manipur cabin crew members among victims of Ahmedabad-London Air India plane crash

Two young women from Manipur are feared to be among the 12 crew members on board Air India Flight AI171, which crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on Thursday afternoon. The aircraft, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, was en route to London’s Gatwick Airport with 242 individuals onboard, including 232 passengers.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) confirmed the aircraft went down in Ahmedabad’s Meghaninagar area shortly after departure. While the cause of the crash is yet to be determined, rescue and recovery efforts are ongoing.

Among the cabin crew were Kongbrailatpam Nganthoi Sharma, a native of Thoubal district, and Singson Lamnunthem, originally from Old Lambulane in Imphal West, who had been displaced to Kangpokpi district due to the ongoing ethnic conflict in Manipur.

The tragic incident has sent shockwaves across Manipur, already reeling from the aftermath of prolonged ethnic unrest that has claimed over 250 lives and displaced more than 60,000 people since May 2023.

A grieving Goulun Singson, a relative of Lamnunthem, shared, “Our family last spoke to her on Wednesday. She told us she was flying to London. That was the last we heard. She joined Air India as cabin crew in 2023, and like us, was forced to leave Imphal because of the violence.”

At their temporary home in Kangpokpi, tension and sorrow hung heavy. Residents of Ngambom Veng Ward No. 8 gathered to support Lamnunthem’s mother, Nemneilhing Singson, who remains desperately hopeful. “She left for Ahmedabad for duty. I spoke to her just yesterday. I still believe she might return,” she said, her voice breaking.

Lamnunthem is the only daughter in a family of three siblings. Having lost her father years ago, her mother raised the children on her own, enduring hardship and now, the harrowing uncertainty of her daughter's fate.

Meanwhile, at the Thoubal residence of Kongbrailatpam Nganthoi Sharma, the grief was palpable. When media arrived, family members were overcome with emotion, declining to speak publicly. Local MLA Surjakumar Okram visited the household and said, “We are yet to receive official confirmation. We are coordinating with Air India and authorities.”

Former Chief Minister of Manipur, N. Biren Singh, expressed his condolences on social media platform X (formerly Twitter):

“I am deeply shocked and grieved by the tragic Air India flight crash near Meghaninagar, Ahmedabad, this afternoon. This heartbreaking incident has shaken the entire nation. My thoughts and prayers are with all those on board and their families.”

An Air India statement confirmed the presence of 169 Indian nationals, 53 British, one Canadian, and seven Portuguese citizens on the flight. Two infants were also among the passengers. The airline stated that all available medical and emergency services were being utilized and that they are cooperating with the DGCA in the investigation.

As families of the missing wait in anguish, the fate of the two Manipur crew members — and many others — remains uncertain. Authorities have yet to release a confirmed list of survivors or casualties.

Further details on the cause of the crash and the condition of the passengers are awaited.