Families of British Air India crash victims 'feel utterly abandoned' as they blast UK government's response
16 June 2025, 14:01 | Updated: 16 June 2025, 16:25
The family of several British passengers killed in the doomed Air India flight last week have blasted the government's response, saying they feel 'utterly abandoned'.
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The Gatwick-bound Air India flight 171, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, careened back to earth in the densely populated Meghani area of the city, hitting doctors’ accommodation and a student canteen minutes after leaving the runway at about 1pm local time last week.
The incident killed 229 passengers, including 52 Brits. 12 crew members were killed while just one man, British citizen Viswash Kumar Ramesh, came out alive.
Now, the families of three Brits killed on board have called on the UK government to "immediately step up its presence and response on the ground in Ahmedabad".
"We are forced to make appointments to see consular staff based 20 minutes away in a hotel, while our loved ones lie unidentified in an overstretched and under-resourced hospital.
Read more: Tears at Air India crash vigil as sisters orphaned by disaster mourned by faith leaders
"We're not asking for miracles - we're asking for presence, for compassion, for action.
"Right now, we feel utterly abandoned," a family member said.
Another said they raced to India to support their loved ones, only to find a "disjointed, inadequate, and painfully slow government reaction".
"There is no UK leadership here, no medical team, no crisis professionals stationed at the hospital," a family spokesperson said.
Families say the pain of sudden loss has been compounded by chaos and conflicting reports.
They say they were told their loved ones had been identified — only for that to be retracted without explanation.
Others have claimed they waited past the promised DNA timelines with no information, no updates, and no visible British oversight at the scene.
A local doctor confirmed that delays in releasing the bodies are linked to severe understaffing.
Iit has been argued that families are left to rely on inconsistent accounts and a breakdown in communication due to a lack of UK medical or forensic support on-site.
Other concerns they have raised include the financial burden, with emergency travel costs reaching up to £950 per person.
They want financial support for next-of-kin to cover urgent travel, accommodation, and repatriation costs.
The families have demanded the immediate deployment of a full crisis team — including consular, medical, and forensic officers — on-site at the hospital within 24 hours.
They called for a British-run identification unit to be set up so as to assist with DNA testing and ensure the dignified and timely release of remains.
Hourly written briefings to families, both in the UK and in India, to restore clarity and accountability, have also been requested.
The families have called for an independent inquiry into the UK Government’s handling of this crisis to ensure no other families face such neglect in the future.
“Our loved ones were British citizens. They deserved better in life. They certainly deserve better in death,” they said.
LBC has approached the Foreign Office for comment.
The Air India crash is the first time a Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft has crashed in this way.
It is one of the deadliest plane crashes in terms of the number of British nationals killed.
UK officials have been deployed to India to support the investigation, the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) said.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has said the UK was in constant contact with Indian authorities, saying in a statement he is “devastated" but the tragedy.
"There will be British and Indian families across the land who are absolutely impacted by this,” he said, before confirming an investigation team has been deployed," he said.
Meanwhile, Foreign Secretary David Lammy called an urgent COBRA meeting following the crash.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said any British nationals requiring consular assistance, or who have concerns about family or friends, should call 020 7008 5000.
British couple Fiongal and Jamie Greenlaw-Meek, who ran a spiritual wellness centre, were among the dead.
Mr Greenlaw-Meek appeared on ITV’s This Morning earlier this year, and former editor of the show Martin Frizell praised his “vibrancy” and “enthusiasm”.
“So so sad to hear that Fiongal Greenlaw-Meek and his partner are reported to be among the passengers and crew killed today on board the Air India flight bound for Gatwick,” he said in an Instagram post.
“I remember his visit to the studio in January, he was passionate about auras and although I’m a sceptical sort his vibrancy and sheer enthusiasm won folk over.”
The Gloucester Muslim Community group offered “sincere and deepest condolences” after Akeel Nanabawa, his wife Hannaa and their daughter Sara were reported to be among the victims.
“During this moment of overwhelming sorrow, our hearts go out to all those left behind,” a statement said.
“No words can truly ease the pain of such a profound loss, but we pray that the family may find solace in the tremendous outpouring of compassion and solidarity from communities across the world.”
Aviation experts have speculated about a number of possible causes for the crash, from both engines failing – possibly due to a bird strike, as happened in the so-called Miracle on the Hudson in 2009 – to the flaps on the aircraft’s wings not being set to the correct position for take-off.
In a statement an FCDO spokesperson said: “Our staff continue to work around the clock in the UK and India to support the families and loved ones of all those impacted by the crash. “We have set up a Reception Centre at the Ummed Hotel, near the Ahmedabad airport, and have a dedicated helpline to provide support and advice for the families and friends of British nationals - friends or family should call 020 7008 5000. If you are in India, you should call +91 (11) 24192100 for support, including through in-person consular staff who are available to support families of British nationals, including accompanying them to the hospital. “Furthermore, the UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch has deployed an investigation team to support the Indian led investigation on the ground, and UK forensic experts are there to support the consular response.”
