Funeral for Air India crash victim after DNA match

A DNA sample has matched to a man loved ones feared was on board the Air India flight which crashed in Ahmedabad, family members have told the BBC.

A funeral was held in Dagachi Dui, India, at 10:30 BST on Wednesday for Faizan Rafik, 25, who was travelling home to Leicester when the plane crashed on Thursday.

Mourners are also due to gather at the Faizan e Madina mosque in Leicester on Thursday, when prayers will be said.

Mr Rafik's cousin, Sameer Rafik, told the BBC on Tuesday loved ones had still been "hoping to hear some good news" but they "weren't getting any updates from anywhere".

Sameer also backed calls for the UK government to provide more support to the families of the victims involved in the crash.

"It feels very awful," he said.

"He's nothing to the government – just a piece of paper, feels like tearing it up and throwing it in the bin.

"We don't know what to do because we're completely blank. We need some kind of support from someone, we need a guide about what to do but we don't have that at the moment."

In response to the criticism, a spokesperson for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said: "Our staff continue to work around the clock in the UK and India to support the families and loved ones of all those impacted by the crash."

Air India has been approached for a comment.

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