The unit Air India Crash “add to a trauma,” explains the family

A woman whose brother died in the Air India accident and then received the bad body says that he “added trauma” to his family.

Fiongal Greenlaw-Meek, 39, and her husband Jamie, 45, were among the 242 people aboard the flight which crashed on June 12 shortly after taking off for London Gatwick from Ahmedabad.

His sister Arwen Greenlaw told BBC Newsnight that his family was looking for dignity and closure as well as the responsibility of those who have misunderstanded the remains of his brother.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it continued to support families affected by the India air crash with “dedicated social workers”, adding that “formal identification of organizations is a question for the Indian authorities”.

Ms. Greenlaw, Cambridge, told the BBC that she wanted “dignity” for her brother and “closure for the family”.

“If it is not possible – because the worst case is that it has been cremated like someone else – then we have to know it to continue,” she added.

“Someone remains poorly labeled – who added trauma.”

She said that it seemed that there was a “lack of forensic protocols” at the scene of the accident, and the site was “not closed for 48 hours”.

“It just can’t happen again,” she said.

“I think the whole family was and is still incredulous because these are things that happen in the news and other people. It was shocking and confusing.”

There were 230 passengers and 12 crew members on the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, including 169 Indian nationals, 53 British, seven Portuguese nationals and a Canadian.

Many people living in a residential area near Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Ahmedabad, where the jet fell was also killed, passing the number of victims confirmed to at least 270. This included a number of medical students staying in the region.

A 15 -page preliminary investigation report published last month said that the fuel to the aircraft engines cut just a few seconds after takeoff.

The circumstances around the way or the reason for which it happened remains unclear. The report indicates in the vocal recordings of the recovered cockpit, one of the pilots can be heard asking “why did you cut?” – to which the other pilot replied that he “did not do it”.

A final report on the accident is expected in 12 months.

In the days following the fatal accident, Ms. Greenlaw said their mother flew to India as part of the formal identification process.

“In his own words, it was a chaotic scene,” recalls Ms. Greenlaw. “She went directly to the hospital to give a blood sample, we were told that it would be up to 72 hours to obtain a positive identification – and it was almost correct.

“She came back from India with what she thought she was the remains of her son. It was the equivalent of losing it twice.

“Mom had seen the situation there, felt the smells, given the sites, given the accident site. I think for her who made it more real to be able to see this.”

Ms. Greenlaw explained that when the coffin was returned, it was tested and turned out to be “the remains of two different people”.

Consequently, a coroner in London decided to carry out other tests and the family was able to obtain DNA from the Fiongal headphones which proved that the remains were not his.

“I would say that we go up to bottom with feelings,” said Greenlaw when asked how the family felt.

“We are not naive, we understand that it must have been a horrible situation and my heart goes to those who have made a clear – but we know that the remains of Finn have been found.

“At that time, you expect the leftovers to come home. If he had not been equaled, we could make our heads.”

Mr. Greenlaw-Meeks founded The Wellness Foundry in Ramsgate, in Kent, in 2018, her husband joining himself as general manager five years later.

They also had to organize workshops during the Ramsgate Pride event in June.

A few moments before embarking on the Air India flight, the pair published a video on social networks during their last night in the country, where Mr. Greenlaw-Meeks reflected on a “magical experience”.

“They were incredible,” said Ms. Greenlaw.

“Two parts of the soul alone. They lived together, they got married and died together. They were two halves.”

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs told the BBC that it continued to listen to the Gujarati government and the Indian government on behalf of the western senior coroner in London to support the coronial process.

“We understand that it is an extremely painful moment for families, and our thoughts remain with them,” said a spokesperson for the Foreign Affairs Bureau.

“The staff of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs continue to support families and relatives in accordance with our consular delivery.

“We have allocated social workers dedicated to each family who wish to have one.”

The Indian Ministry of Foreign Affairs previously declared: “In the wake of the tragic accident, the authorities concerned had identified victims in accordance with the protocols and the technical requirements established.

“All the fatal remains have been treated with the greatest professionalism and with reasonable respect for the dignity of the deceased.

“We continue to work with the British authorities to answer any concern related to this question.”