Plane crash: He had big dreams, but now everything is shattered, says uncle of crew member

Pune: Irfan Samir Shaikh, one of the cabin crew members of the London-bound Air India flight that crashed in Ahmedabad, had joined the aviation industry only two years ago and had big dreams, which are now shattered, his family member said.

Twenty-two-year-old Shaikh's family resides in Pimpri Chinchwad area near Pune city.

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft (AI171) with 230 passengers and 12 crew members crashed into the complex of a medical college moments after taking off from the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad on Thursday afternoon. The horrific crash left 265 people dead.

Irfan's uncle Firoz Shaikh said his nephew always made it a point to inform his parents about his flight roster.

"On Thursday, when the news of the plane crash was flashed, his mother was devastated as she knew that he was on board that flight," he said.

Shaikh said that after the incident, Irfan's mother, father and elder brother immediately flew to Ahmedabad.

"The authorities have collected the blood samples of Irfan's brother for a DNA test, and the family is now awaiting confirmation and the return of his body," he said.

Irfan had joined the aviation industry as a cabin crew member two years ago after completing a course from an institute, his uncle said.

He initially worked with Vistara, and after the Air India-Vistara merger, he began flying on international routes, he said.

"Irfan had big dreams and was determined to excel in the field. But now, all those dreams have been shattered," he added.

According to him, Irfan's father Salim Shaikh runs a shop, his mother is a homemaker and his elder brother works in a software firm.

Irfan had visited his home for Bakrid, he said.

According to Air India, of the 230 passengers on the flight, 169 were Indians, 53 British, seven Portuguese and one Canadian. The other 12 people on board were two pilots and 10 crew members.