IMPHAL, June 13: A sister and a cousin of Kongbrailatpam Nganthoi Sharma, who was among the 12 cabin crew members onboard the Air India flight that crashed a day ago, left for Ahmedabad for DNA testing, family members said on Friday.
“A doctor from Gujarat called us and said Nganthoi’s name was not on the list of injured persons. He asked us to reach Ahmedabad for DNA tests to identify her body,” cousin N Khenjita told PTI.
Twenty-year-old Nganthoi was among the 242 people onboard Air India Flight AI 171, which crashed minutes after take-off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad on Thursday.
Khenjita said they left Manipur and will reach Ahmedabad via Guwahati.
“Had today’s visit to Ahmedabad been for meeting her, I would have been so happy. The dress I am wearing now was purchased by her last time,” Nganthoi’s elder sister K Geetanjali told PTI, as tears rolled down her cheeks.
Nganthoi’s father Nandeshkumar Sharma said, “Her mother has not eaten since we received the news yesterday. She is currently under medical observation. Our daughter had last visited us in March.”
Nganthoi was a crew member for the last three years.
Another cousin of the cabin crew member said her last message before take-off was, “I’m going to London. In a few minutes, we’ll take off. We may not be able to talk for a while.” (PTI)