Families Relive Tragic Plane Crash's Aftermath Years Later

Two years after a devastating plane crash, the families of the victims are still struggling to cope with the aftermath. For Praful Patel, the grief of losing his 23-year-old son Dirdh is compounded each month when ₹20,560 is automatically deducted from his account to repay the ₹15 lakh education loan his son had taken. Dirdh, who had completed his MSc in AI, was heading to the UK for research and job opportunities when the tragedy struck.

In another heartbreaking case, Suresh Dantani's 13-year-old son Akash, who had dreams of studying to help his parents move beyond running a tea stall, perished in the crash near the IGP office campus. Suresh says he will never return to that place, as it holds too many painful memories.

Many families are still awaiting the return of their loved ones' personal belongings, the last tangible connections to those they lost. Shailesh Parmar found an undamaged copy of the Bhagavad Gita, which he believes may have belonged to his parents. For others, like Surat's Mukti Vansadiya, the wait continues for handbags and phones seen in news footage.

The emotional and financial burdens of the tragedy continue to weigh heavily on these families, as they strive to move forward with their lives while cherishing the memories of those they lost.