On the first anniversary of the Air India flight AI-171 disaster, Honey Patel (Sharma) stood at the crash site in Ahmedabad's Meghaninagar area and recalled the last video call she ever received from her mother — a cheerful message from inside the aircraft, meant for her young son who loved watching aeroplanes. That call, made moments before the London-bound Boeing 787 Dreamliner took off on 12 June 2025, was the final time she heard her mother's voice.

The Last Conversation

Anju Sharma, 56, had boarded the aircraft and video-called her daughter to show the plane to her grandson, Dihan. 'She said, 'This is Nani's plane.' We still have that video and her voice. Then she told us, 'I am sitting in the plane now, beta. I will call you after I reach there,'' Honey recalled.

That call never came. The aircraft crashed seconds after take-off, striking the B.J. Medical College hostel complex in Meghaninagar. 241 of the 242 people on board and 19 people on the ground were killed, making it one of the deadliest aviation disasters in India's history.

A Bond Deepened by Earlier Loss

For Honey, the tragedy was compounded by grief already carried. Her father had died in 2021, leaving Anju as the central figure in her life. 'After Papa passed away, I only had Mamma here. My sister lives in London, so we lived like friends,' she said.

She described her mother not merely as a parent but as her closest companion. 'She was more than a friend. I don't have any friends. She was my friend, she was everything for me,' Honey said. The morning of the crash had been ordinary — Anju had cooked her daughter's favourite meal before leaving for the airport, excited about visiting family in London.

At 1.51 pm, relatives in Ahmedabad called urgently, asking for the flight ticket after hearing reports of a crash involving a London-bound aircraft. The family initially refused to believe it. After confirming the details, they drove from Vadodara to Ahmedabad, going directly to Ahmedabad Civil Hospital on the advice of officials. 'We searched every floor for Mamma. We went everywhere, but we couldn't find her,' Honey said.

Identification and Aftermath

Officials eventually informed the family that no one had survived the crash. The identification process took several days, with authorities relying heavily on DNA matching due to the condition of many victims' remains. The family received Anju Sharma's remains three days after the crash.

Among the belongings recovered were two T-shirts, a slipper, and fragments of luggage. Jewellery and her mobile phone were never returned. The family submitted documents to Air India regarding missing belongings; some items, including an earring believed to belong to Anju, remain untraced. 'They told us many people had claimed the same item and it would only be given if there was a match,' Honey said.

Her Brother's Grief: 'She Was Not My Sister; She Was My Mother'

Anju's younger brother, Milan Sharma, 38, who lives in Vadodara and is originally from Kurukshetra, Haryana, described his final memory of her — a video call from the airport lounge, in which she mentioned she had ordered a dosa but did not feel like eating it. 'The last time I came here was to drop my sister. I never imagined I would later bring her back in a coffin,' he said.

Milan had moved to Gujarat as a child and was effectively raised by Anju, the eldest among eight sisters. 'She was not my sister; she was my mother. Nobody could refuse her. We used to call her 'Daddy' because she was fearless and always took responsibility for everyone,' he recalled.

The tragedy has also deeply affected Anju's elderly parents in Haryana. Milan said his father remains on bed rest and still struggles to accept the loss. 'Even today, sometimes he feels she has just gone to London and will come back,' he said. His mother continues to preserve mementos from Anju's life, including the first dress she wore as a newborn.

Investigation Ongoing; Family Rejects Pilot Error Theory

One year on, the investigation into the crash by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) remains ongoing. The AAIB has urged restraint over speculation until the final report is released. Both Honey and Milan have said they reject suggestions that pilot error was responsible and believe a technical failure may have been involved, though no official cause has been established.

For the Sharma family, whatever conclusions the investigation ultimately reaches will not alter the central reality of their lives. Honey has visited the site three times — twelve days after the crash, at a two-month candlelight memorial, and now on the first anniversary. The grief, she said, has not eased. 'If Mamma is not here, what can we do? Whatever belonged to her has gone with her,' she said. The AAIB's final report is awaited.