Filmmaker Mahesh Kalawadhia Missing After Ahmedabad Plane Crash
Plane Crash: Filmmaker Mahesh Kalawadhia has been missing since the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad on Thursday. His last known mobile location was found just 700 meters from the crash site. His family fears he may be among those killed on the ground. DNA samples have been submitted for identification. The crash has so far claimed 270 lives.
Crash Minutes After Takeoff
At 1:39 PM on Thursday, an Air India flight took off from Ahmedabad's Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. However, minutes later, it crash-landed into the campus of a medical college in Meghaninagar. The crash was so severe that 241 of the 242 passengers on board perished. In addition, 29 people on the ground were also killed.
The impact caused widespread destruction. The medical college building suffered significant damage, and surrounding roads and vehicles were engulfed in flames.
No Trace of Filmmaker Mahesh Kalawadhia
Since the accident, Naroda resident filmmaker Mahesh Kalawadhia (also known as Mahesh Jiravala), whose work involved music albums and video production, has been missing.
His wife, Hetal Kalawadhia, stated that on Thursday, the day of the accident, Mahesh had gone to meet someone in the Law Garden area. He called at 1:14 PM to say his meeting had ended and he was returning home.
However, he never arrived home. Despite repeated calls, his phone remained switched off. The police were informed, and his last mobile location was traced—only 700 meters from the crash site.
"He Never Took That Route..." – Wife Hetal's Concern
Hetal stated, "Around 1:40 PM, his phone completely switched off, meaning the network disappeared. This was the time of the accident. His scooter and mobile phone are both missing. The strangest thing is that he never took the route where his last location was found to come home."
The family fears Mahesh may be among the 29 ground victims. Therefore, they have provided DNA samples for testing to confirm his identity.
Identifying the Victims Remains a Challenge
The intense fire and impact of the plane crash severely burned or damaged many bodies, making identification difficult. In such cases, DNA testing is the only recourse. The hospital administration and forensic team have accelerated the DNA matching process. To date, 47 bodies have been identified through DNA testing, 24 of which have been released to their families.
270 Deaths Confirmed in the Crash
According to official figures released by the government and administration by Sunday evening, a total of 270 people have died in this horrific accident. Of these, 241 were passengers on the plane, and 29 were on the ground. The government has ordered a high-level investigation into the accident, and a special investigation team from the DGCA, including Air India's technical team, is thoroughly investigating the matter.
