Declared Dead in Plane Crash, Alive 45 Years Later

In 1976, a plane crashed over the skies of Abu Dhabi, Dubai. All passengers were presumed dead, including Sajid Tongul, now 70, whose family mourned him for decades. To their shock, they only recently discovered he's been alive all this time.

In the two years prior to the crash, Tongul left his hometown of Kotaim, India, aiming for success in the Persian Gulf. As an event producer in Abu Dhabi, he often traveled. However, in 1976, the plane's engine caught fire, resulting in tragedy. In "death," he left behind parents and eight siblings.

Since that day, Tongul never contacted his family. Six years later, he moved to Mumbai, where he lives today. "I felt like a failure because I intended to make my fortune in the Gulf. When that didn’t happen, I thought I’d move back to Mumbai, succeed, then reach out. But it never happened. And just like that, 45 years passed," he explained to local media.

Two years ago, Tongul fell ill and struggled to care for himself. He moved into a shelter without mentioning his family. The shelter manager, Philip, took it upon himself to investigate. He discovered Tongul's family nearby through a mutual acquaintance and revealed Tongul's whereabouts, leaving his family in shock.

Philip facilitated a video call between Tongul and his family. Overwhelmed with emotion, Tongul could barely speak. Last night, his brother planned to meet him and bring him home. According to his brother, they never lost hope and even traveled to Abu Dhabi looking for him. "I showed his photo everywhere, but no one knew anything. Now that he's finally come home, I'm not letting him go."