India, June 16 -- The June 12 crash of Air India Flight 171 in Ahmedabad has left an indelible mark not only on the families of the 241 people aboard the aircraft, but also on dozens of families on the ground who were going about their daily lives when tragedy struck.

So far, the government has confirmed that only one of the 242 people on board the plane survived. On Friday, the bodies of eight people who died at the BJ Medical College hostel were handed over to their families. Around 22 more people - all on the ground - are feared dead, though the exact toll remains unclear.

The development comes three days after AI-171 crashed into the hostel complex of BJ Medical College, seconds after taking off from the Ahmedabad airport. Around 50...