DUBAI // Relatives of two young Indians who died in the FlyDubai crash last month will gather at a temple in India on Tuesday to pray for the couple.
Shyam Mohan and his wife Anju Aiyappan, both 27 and from the southern state of Kerala, were among 62 people killed when flight FZ981 exploded after making a second attempt to land in stormy weather at Russia’s Rostov-on-Don airport on March 19.
The couple trained in Ayurveda, an Indian form of alternative medicine, and were returning to work at a resort in the southern Russian city.
“We can only pray for peace for them. We will all go to the Chelamattom temple for the ‘puja’ [prayer] ceremony,” said Sreejesh R, a relative of Mohan.
“We cannot do their last rites yet because, according to our Hindu custom, we must get some of their belongings back. We are waiting to get something from the debris and only then can the family complete the cremation rites. It will be very sad to do the ceremony because they were the youngest in their families.”
Aiyappan had worked in Russia for five years, and Mohan joined her there after their marriage in 2014.
They last spoke to their family from Dubai en-route to Russia, a day before the crash.
Like many Indians who work overseas, they took loans to secure their jobs and were paying the amount back.
“We went to Anju’s house recently and her mother has not recovered from the shock, it’s the same with Shyam’s parents,” Mr Sreejesh said.
“Both are from poor backgrounds, their families were totally dependent on them. They worked for their family, did not think of themselves. It was such a short life.”
The prayer service is likely to continue over half a day.
The Chelamattom temple is near Perumbavoor, in Kerala’s Ernakulum district, where both families live.
FlyDubai said a memorial website withgreatsadness.com would be launched on Tuesday with photographs and condolence messages to commemorate the memory of passengers and crew.
“We are focused on supporting the bereaved families and we continue to do everything we can for them,” said Ghaith Al Ghaith, chief executive, FlyDubai. “My daily thoughts remain with the families and loved ones enduring a period of great sadness and sorrow.”
The airline said a Family Assistance Team was established in the week after the accident to communicate with bereaved families on a long-term basis with a care team member dedicated to each family.
This will include assistance with identification, repatriation and support required for personal effects.
The airline had said it would provide “hardship payments” of Dh73,400 per passenger to those who lost family members in the crash. The majority of the 55 passengers killed in the FZ981 crash were Russians returning home, Ukrainians and a passenger from Uzbekistan.
“People from the airline came to meet Shyam’s family but it’s not about the money,” Mr Sreejesh said. “For the parents, it’s like their lives have ended. Yes, they need money but what is there for them to live for now?”
rtalwar@thenational.ae
