Indian authorities name couple killed in FlyDubai crash

The couple, both 27 and from Kerala, lived in Russia and were returning to work after a month at home and a brief stop in Dubai.

Shyam Mohan and wife Anju Aiyappan, both aged 27 from Kerala, were among the 62 killed in the FlyDubai crash. Indian Express

ABU DHABI // An Indian couple killed in the FlyDubai crash were on their way back to a Rostov-on-Don resort after a month-long trip home.

Shyam Mohan and his wife Anju Aiyappan, both 27 and from the southern Indian state of Kerala, were among the 62 killed in Saturday’s crash.

They were both trained in ayurveda, an Indian form of alternative medicine.

Sushma Swaraj, Indian minister of external affairs, posted on Twitter: “I have now received details of Indian nationals who died in the FlyDubai plane crash in Russia.

“We have lost two Indian nationals, Shyam Mohan and his wife Anju Aiyappan, of Ernakulam, in the crash.”

She expressed her grief and support for their family. “Our heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family,” she said. “The Indian embassy in Moscow will provide assistance to the family.

“President [Vladimir] Putin has also conveyed his condolences.”

According to Indian media, the couple were in Kerala until Thursday, when they left for Dubai. “Both of them are trained ayurveda nurses and their marriage took place on November 2, 2014,” said C V Issac, who lived near the couple’s home town and delivered the news of their deaths to Mohan’s family.

“It was their first visit [back to Kerala] after they both went to Russia.”

Aiyappan had worked in Russia since 2011 and it was after their marriage in 2014 that Mohan joined her there.

“His father is a carpenter and Mohan was the mainstay of his family, so was Anju, whose father passed away,” said Saju Paul, a politician in Kerala.

Kerala chief minister Oommen Chandy talked to Mohan’s father and assured him that the state government would do what it could to help the grieving families during this testing time.