The Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad on June 12 has left behind unimaginable grief for families around the world. Amongst the victims were Ashokbhai and Shobhanaben Patel, a couple originally from Gujarat who had made Britain their home since 1978. The tragedy claimed both their lives, but in a poignant turn of events, even death could not part them.

DNA tests to identify the deceased were being conducted at Ahmedabad Civil Hospital. As part of the identification process, Ashokbhai’s son Miten Patel was called from London by the hospital’s control room. He arrived in Ahmedabad with his brother Hemen and submitted their DNA samples to aid the identification.

On June 15, which also marked Father’s Day, Miten received confirmation that one of the matched DNA samples was of his father Ashokbhai. The brothers began the formalities to take their father’s body back to London. However, the question of their mother’s whereabouts remained heavy on their minds.

Due to the usually time-consuming nature of DNA matching, they had resigned to return with only their father’s remains. But fate intervened. At the control room, the brothers saw that 98 samples had been matched so far, with the 98th being that of their father. As they were preparing to leave, a call from the hospital changed everything – the 99th matched sample belonged to their mother, Shobhanaben.

Rushing back to the hospital, Miten and Hemen saw their mother’s name on the bulletin board. Their eyes welled up with tears. In an extraordinary coincidence, their parents were identified as the 98th and 99th DNA matches – side by side even in science, as they had been in life and in death.

This profound moment left the brothers deeply moved. Despite the overwhelming tragedy, they felt they had witnessed a quiet miracle – a reminder that the bond their parents shared was unbroken, even in their final journey.

Tune In