Man who entered Air India crash morgue reveals horror
What's the story
A man who entered the morgue of victims from the Air India AI-171 crash has described horrific scenes, including the pilot's body still clutching the aircraft's controls. The London-bound Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed seconds after takeoff in June 2025, killing 260 people: 241 onboard and 19 on the ground. Only one passenger survived: Viswash Kumar Ramesh, a British national of Indian origin.
Morgue visit
Witness entered mortuary to see relatives' bodies
According to Daily Mail, the witness, Romin Vohra, a relative of some crash victims, entered the mortuary because he had worked at Ahmedabad Civil Hospital during the Covid-19 pandemic and still knew people there. He described the scene as "a vision straight out of hell," with bodies laid side-by-side on the floor. Vohra saw severed heads and limbs, a charred mother holding her child, and a skull of a little girl, which he tried to match with his niece's photo.
Pilot's discovery
Pilot gripping yoke raises questions
Vohra lost his aunt Yashmin, his brother Parvez, and his three-year-old niece in the crash. Vohra also claimed that he saw Captain Sumeet Sabharwal's body separately. The captain was still in a sitting position with his back burnt but his front intact. His white uniform shirt and shoes were untouched. Most shockingly, he was still gripping the aircraft's double-handled yoke, possibly indicating an attempt to control the aircraft until impact or while being removed from the cockpit.
Investigation update
Preliminary report speculated on possible pilot error
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau's preliminary report mentioned the fuel supply to both engines was cut off seconds after takeoff, causing confusion inside the cockpit. Cockpit voice recordings revealed the alleged confusion between pilots, with one asking, "Why did you cut off?" and the other replying, "I didn't." This led to speculation that pilot error may have contributed to the crash. However, Captain Sabharwal's family and aviation bodies have contested these findings as flawed and unfairly scrutinizing deceased pilots.
Minister's appeal
Minister urges public not to jump to conclusions
Captain Sabharwal's 91-year-old father has also approached the Supreme Court seeking an independent, judicially monitored probe into the plane crash. Union Civil Aviation Minister Rammohan Naidu has urged the public not to jump to conclusions, assuring that the investigation is independent and under international scrutiny due to foreign nationals being involved. The final report is expected next month.