Ahmedabad: A filmmaker has been missing since Thursday's devastating Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad, with his last mobile location traced to just 700 metres from the crash site in Meghaninagar. Fearing he may be among the ground victims, his family has submitted DNA samples for identification.

The tragic incident unfolded when the aircraft, which had taken off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport at 1:39 pm, crashed into the premises of a medical college. A total of 241 passengers and crew onboard perished, with only one survivor. In addition, 29 people on the ground were also killed in the disaster.

Mahesh Kalawadia, also known professionally as Mahesh Jirawala, resides in Naroda and is known for directing music albums. According to his wife Hetal, he had gone to meet someone in the Law Garden area that afternoon.

"My husband called me at 1.14pm to tell me his meeting is over and that he is on his way home. However, when he did not return, I called on his phone but it was switched off. After police were intimated, the last location of his mobile phone showed he was 700 metres away from the crash site," she said.

"His phone got switched off around 1:40 pm (a minute after the ill-fated flight took off). His scooter and mobile phone are missing. All this is unusual since he would never use that route (as per the last location) to come home. We have submitted DNA samples to check if he was one of those killed on the ground due to the crash," Hetal added.

As many bodies from the crash were either charred or disfigured beyond recognition, authorities have been relying on DNA tests for identification. Three days after the crash of Air India flight AI-171, officials confirmed that 47 victims have been identified through DNA matching. So far, 24 bodies have been handed over to their respective families.