Air India: Late Flight Attendant's Uncle Remembers 'Strange' Thing She Did Before Dying in Crash
- The late Nganthoi Sharma's uncle has recounted the final moments of his niece, who was working with Air India as a flight attendant
- She was unfortunately among the attendants who were onboard the ill-fated flight that crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad
- During an interview, her emotional uncle shared his memories of her and her final moments before the tragic crash on June 12, 2025
The devastating Air India crash that happened shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad claimed the life of Nganthoi Sharma, a flight attendant.
Her uncle, Kongbrailatpam Sanatombi Sharma, shared an emotional account of one of her final moments before the tragedy on June 12.
Source: Youtube
Uncle mourns late Air India flight attendant
In an interview with BBC News India, Sharma recounted the 'strange' action of his niece during their last meeting.
She had paid a visit to her family home, where she briefly reunited with her loved ones before departing for her ill-fated flight.
According to her uncle, Nganthoi had taken leave without informing her family, and her visit was a sudden and unexpected one.
She wore a mask and quietly entered the house, exclaiming, 'Father, sister I'm here, as she surprised her family.
This brief reunion became the last time her family saw her.
Source: UGC
The family was unaware that Nganthoi was among the attendants onboard the Air India flight that crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad.
They received news of the tragic incident through a call from Sharma's daughter, who had been informed by someone else.
Nganthoi's uncle narrated:
"She had taken leave but did not tell us. She wore a mask and quietly entered the house. She exclaimed "father, sister I'm here". She surprised us. She told absolutely no one. What can I say? We didn't have internet when we got the news. We were working in the fields when we got a call from my daughter. Someone had told her that Nganthoi was on the plane that crashed."
The video of the interview is below:
Reactions trail Nganthoi's uncle's emotional video
Netizens reacted to the heartbreaking video in the comments section.
RiyaSidhu800 said:
"I'm glad these young ladies were honored for their courage. Coming from areas of conflict with determination to pull families out from poverty by being a beacon of light. Fly high angels, fly high."
@guymerritt4860 said:
"We're all one family. I am sick of these weird divisions mankind creates based upon random lines drawn around this rock we call Earth. Condolences to these poor people on the loss of their loved ones. Just a horrible tragedy that will effect the families forever."
@arwin282 said:
"This is so heartbreaking. One from Kuki community, another from Meitei community who are fighting with each other but death saw no difference between them! However, it's equally distressing to see that the Kuki girl had to take a painful detour even in death via Dimapur inspite of having a very functional airport in her own home state. Hate is really evil."
ArifulIslam-ye8ei said:
"Couldn’t hold my tear hearing their relatives statements. May the victims heart are in peace and the family overcome the grieve."
Aparnarajesh said:
"I was thankful for bbc news india for bring humanity from conflict to honored two ladies from kuki and meitai communities as their families united by grief for their loved ones."
@himssendol6512 added:
"As a complete outsider what i learned from this video is that India is really diverse. More diverse than I had thought. If I had seen those twoo girls in London wearing t-shirts and jeans I don't think i'd have a clue they were Indian. Would have thought them more east asian. I guess you learn a new thing everyday. Live long and prosper India."
Siblings among Air India plane crash victims
Meanwhile, Shubh Modi and his sister, Shagun, were also among victims of the crash.
They were reportedly going to the UK for vacation before the fatal incident happened.
Their relative, Satish Bhandari, spoke:
"It is a devastating and heartbreaking incident. The siblings had planned to tour London for a vacation. Shubh had done his B.Tech in Chemical Engineering from the UK, while his sister had completed her BA-BBA from PDEU, Gandhinagar. Who knew this would be their last journey?"
Expert explains final stage of grief
A mental health specialist, Duke Ezikpe Mma, has weighed in on the psychological process families undergo after losing a loved one in tragic events like the Air India crash.
He told Legit.ng:
“The last stage in this mourning curve ends with the individual accepting what has happened as it has already happened. This stage doesn't mean that the individual mourning is over the loss. Instead, it signifies coming to terms with the reality of the situation.”
Last Air India plane crash victim identified
Legit.ng previously reported that the Air India Flight 171 crash identification process concluded, with the last victim identified.
A total of about 253 bodies were identified through DNA testing and six more through facial recognition out of the 260 fatalities.
Joseph Omotayo, the HoD of the Human Interest Desk, contributed to the report, adding the story about siblings who died in the crash.
Editorial assistant Ololade Olatimehin provided exclusive commentary from a mental health expert for this report.
Proofreading by Bruce Douglas, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
Ankrah Shalom (Human-Interest editor) Shalom Ankrah is a journalist and a Human Interest Editor at Legit.ng with over six years of experience. She has a degree in Mass communication from Alex Ekwueme University. Shalom has worked with reputable news organizations including The Tide and GistReel. Email: ankrah.shalom@corp.legit.ng.
Duke Ezikpe Mma (Mental Health Expert) Duke Ezikpe Mma is a Mental Health Specialist, Educationist, Coach, and Writer dedicated to mental wellness and advocacy. He holds degrees in Clinical Psychology from Nasarawa State University and Information Management from Ahmadu Bello University. As the founder of Where Do Broken Hearts Go and Grayscale Support Group, he provides safe spaces for individuals facing mental health challenges. A member of COSROPIN, he actively advocates for the well-being and rights of older persons in Nigeria.
