The Sant Tukaram Nagar area in Pimpri-Chinchwad, Maharashtra is mourning the loss of 28-year-old Irfan Shaikh, a cabin crew member who died in the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad on Thursday.
The crash involved Flight AI171, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner heading to London. It crashed shortly after takeoff, killing nearly all 230 passengers and 12 crew members on board. Only one passenger survived.
Irfan was among the cabin crew who died.
Speaking to media, Irfan’s uncle Firoz Shaikh said, “He used to call his parents every day. Even before this flight, he spoke to his mother. None of us imagined it would be the last time.”
Irfan had completed his cabin crew training a few years ago. He started his career with Vistara, and after the Vistara-Air India merger, he began flying international routes.
“He had been working as a cabin crew for about one to one-and-a-half years. No one thought his life would end like this,” said Firoz. “The whole family is in shock.”
As soon as they heard about the crash, Irfan’s parents and elder brother rushed to Ahmedabad. His brother’s DNA sample was taken to help identify Irfan’s remains.
“We’ve been told it will take 48 to 72 hours for the identification process. Only then will the body be handed over,” Firoz added.
