Pathanamthitta: The remains of Thomas Cherian, a native of Pathanamthitta, have been recovered after he went missing in the Indian Air Force (IAF) AN-12 aircraft crash in 1968. The tragic event took place near Rohtang Pass in Himachal Pradesh, and the recovery comes 56 years after his disappearance. His sister, Mary Thomas, expressed a mix of happiness and sadness upon hearing the news.

Mary, who was just 12 years old when her brother went missing, shared her feelings about the recovery of his body with Mathrubhumi. “I am both sad and happy,” she said. “I am happy that we can finally bury him in the family grave. Our parents worried about Cherian, and now we can lay him to rest.” She recalled being in the seventh grade when she learned of the incident and was immediately picked up from school.

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Ever since the army announced the discovery of the plane wreckage three years ago, Mary has been hopeful of receiving her brother's remains. Previously, she had held on to the hope that he would return alive one day.

“When the remains of the plane were found, I lost hope that Cherian would be alive. However, now I am relieved that he will be buried next to our parents. I have three older siblings who were all working when I was in the seventh grade, and we were raised by my father's elder brother. Cherian also grew up in that household,” Mary Thomas added.

Thomas Cherian joined the army at the age of 18, following in the footsteps of his elder brother, Thomas Mathew, who was also in the army. Cherian felt a strong sense of duty, believing that the country needed his service. Tragically, the incident occurred just four years later.