“He was the only survivor of a plane crash — then disappeared for 45 years” ✈️💔 Everyone thought Sajid Tungal had died in 1976. In reality, he was battling guilt, heartbreak, and silence. Now at 70, his family just learned the truth — and the reunion is bringing people to tears. Full story in the article below 👇😭
After nearly five decades of silence, 70-year-old Sajid Tungal has finally returned to his family—long after they believed he had died. Originally from Kottayam, India, Sajid left home in 1974 at just 22 to seek better opportunities in the United Arab Emirates. There, in the capital city, he quickly built a life and began organizing cultural events, inviting Indian artists and performers. He had big dreams of returning home successful and wealthy.
But fate had other plans. Just two years later, while accompanying a group of performers on a flight, tragedy struck. The plane suffered engine failure and crashed—killing everyone on board except Sajid.
How he survived remains a mystery. He eventually made his way to Bombay (now Mumbai), but instead of reaching out to his grieving family, Sajid chose to stay silent. He still believed he could rebuild his life and return home with the success he had once promised.
Sadly, his second chance never came. Business ventures failed, and he was left taking odd jobs just to survive. Haunted by the plane crash and struggling with mental health issues, he felt too ashamed and broken to face his family.
In 2019, weak and ill, Sajid was taken to a Christian shelter in Mumbai thanks to a concerned friend. It took nearly two more years for Pastor K M Philip to uncover fragments of his story. The elderly man, now battling depression and memory loss, had carried the weight of guilt and isolation for years.
Eventually, one of the social workers traveled to Sajid’s hometown in Kerala to search for his relatives. What they found was nothing short of a miracle—the family had never stopped praying for his return. Though their father had passed away, Sajid’s siblings were overwhelmed with emotion upon learning he was still alive. A video call was arranged, and a tearful Sajid expressed his longing to come home.
He thanked the caretakers who had looked after him and said he wanted nothing more than to spend his final years surrounded by family. His brother, Mohammed Kunju, who had refused to believe Sajid’s death and had even visited the crash site decades ago, is now on his way to Mumbai to bring him back home at last.
After 45 years, the family is finally whole again.
