Air India Tragedy: Family Loses a Loved One in Crash, Makes Coffins for Victims

“When they needed 300 coffins, we told them we’d start today, even if it's at the cheapest rate," said Nelson.

Christian family who lost one of their own beloved ones, made 300 coffins for the victims of the plane crash.

Photo: The Quint 

The Christian family in Ahmedabad who lost a family member in the Air India Flight AI-171 crash, is now supplying coffins for other victims of the same disaster.

“We run a coffin business, my brother and I. The Air India crash happened, and my brother's son died in it,” said Nelson Christian, speaking about the loss of his 30-year-old nephew, Lawrence Daniel Christian, an engineer based in London.

On 29 May, Lawrence travelled back to India to perform the last rites for his father. Two weeks later, he boarded the flight back to London. But he never made it.

Soon after the crash, Air India officials reached out with a request for coffins. The Christian family, still processing their own grief, resumed work.

“We never thought whether we could do it or not. We just accepted that we have to,” said Nelson. “When they needed 300 coffins, we told them we’d start today, even if it's at the cheapest rate.”

The family, with help from other male relatives and a few volunteers, began working around the clock. “Every single day, we were loading 20 coffins from here,” Nelson said.

Lawrence's cousin, Priya Christian, said the family is still in shock. “He was a very hardworking boy. His mother, wife, and younger sister are trying to come to terms with the grief and loss.”

At the Ahmedabad Civil Hospital, officials are still matching DNA samples to remains recovered from the wreckage. Families, including the Christians, continue to wait for formal identification.

Despite the uncertainty, the Christian family focused on meeting the demand for coffins.

“We just did what was the right thing to do. We also asked other coffin manufacturers to resume work too," noted Nelson.